Shadowed Hearts
by Freeverse
Summary: AU. Rogue is involved in Mystique's plan to tear down the old and build up the new brick by brick. A dangerous mission leads her to infiltrate Magneto's base and Remy LeBeau to investigate and catch the culprit, but will he capture something else? ROMY!
1. Prologue: Payment

**_Untitled- any ideas?_**

**Prologue: Payment**

* ~ *

**Author's Note:** _This story is set in an alternate universe. Some of the things will be explained within the fic, but to reduce confusion I will write a brief synopsis of the events prior to this story. First of all, this story is set somewhere after the mutants are captured and sent to Area 51. The people captured are as follows: Rogue, Wanda, Jean, Evan, Wolverine, McCoy, Fred, and Mystique (but only later- as on the show). Okay, so that's been cleared up. I don't think Jean or Wanda were captured, so that's about the only thing that changed. The first two seasons are pretty much untouched, except for the fact that Rogue never left the BoM. Wanda leaves to BoM shortly after being freed from Area 51. Mastermind changed her memories and has also made her believe that Magneto saved her from the torture she received from Trask and his men. Toad, Lance, Fred, and a new non-Evo character: Marrow (Sarah Rushman- I needed a new baddie) are under Mystique's rule of thumb. Mystique split from Magneto's forces. Magneto then created the Acolytes which consist of the following: Sabretooth, Gambit, Pyro, Colossus, Pietro, and Wanda. Xavier is still missing, and Evan ran away to join up with the Morlocks. After being forced out of their home, the Morlocks relocated to an unknown place (presumably into another sewer). Mystique met up with Marrow, who was marveling at the beauty of the surface. Mystique claimed to understand Marrow's feelings of "ugliness" and capitalized on her hate of humans for destroying her home (the Power-8 stuff) to coax her into joining the BoM. Romy, Jott, Kiotr? and other pairings coming up. This is also rating PG-13 for unniceness, violence, and the occasional curse word. If you have any questions, e-mail me._

_This first chapter may be confusing, but you'll find out everything later._

* ~ *

The bitter winter wind swirled around the man's tightly wrapped body as he strode up to the front porch of Louise Eden's modest flat. He knocked on the oak door, shivering in the coldness. The temperature wasn't the only thing sending chills up his spine. He sensed a bad omen lingering in the icy air. The thought, of course, was just dismissed as paranoia and spending too much time at the office. Ever since the discovery of mutants in Bayville, he couldn't help but feel watched. _Maybe Dr. Eden will offer me something to drink. I could use a good glass of liquor to ease my mind._

"Come in," a voice called from inside. "There door's unlocked. I'm just finishing a few things up, and I'll be right with you."

He smiled at the familiar tone as he opened the door and stepped into the living room. It was nothing to marvel at. White walls encased the man and a few chairs were haphazardly placed across the sparsely furnished room. It wasn't too out-of-character for Louise, though. Her motto had always been to stick to the necessary. He was sure that the aphorism applied to her interior decorating as well as her work. 

"Make yourself at home," Louise called from inside the kitchen. 

He found a seat on an over-stuffed, black chair. "So, what did you call me over here for?" 

"F'r business." 

"Dr. Eden?" 

"Woman's been dead f'r quite some time..." 

The lights dimmed immediately, and the man squirmed. Something wasn't right. Louise never spoke with an accent. Who was this woman? He was about to bolt, but the sound of a lock clicking into place stopped him. He was frozen in fear as the stranger walked toward him. 

"Who are you?" he asked shakily. 

The woman stopped just inches from his face, a knowing smile formed on her violet lips. "Remember me?" she asked, producing a gun from behind her back. 

Even in the poor lighting, he could make out her face. It was now clear to him that it wasn't the raven-haired scientist Louise Eden who stood before him. The stranger was barely a woman- a teenager perhaps- in heavy make-up and gothic garb. He caught a silver glint in her short, chestnut brown hair that seemed familiar. 

An memory flashed in his mind, reminding him of who the girl really was. A girl with mossy green eyes, brown hair with an usual white streak, pale skin, and a pained expression was shoved into the cold cell. A man beside him informed him of her name, as well as her power. 

"Mutant #6?" he asked incredulously. 

"The name's Rogue, but then again, we were always numbers t' ya." She paused. "Well, let me tell ya somethin'- y'r jus' a number t' me, too. When ya die ah'll have one less pig-headed, power-hungry, bigoted human t' deal with," she snarled, the word human escaping her lips with definite contempt. 

"You won't kill me," he responded with a smirk. "You're only a child. What could you possibly do to a man like me?" 

"You have no right t' sound like ya actually amount t' somethin' when y'r jus' a sick fuck who gets his kicks from experimentin' on mutants!" Rogue retorted. Her rage soon turned into an eerie and calm smile. "But t' ease y'r mind, you can think o' it as payback f'r what ya did t' me, mah friends, teammates, and even mah mother." 

He didn't even have the chance to utter a word in reply. Rogue found the trigger and pressed it. The handle grew warm beneath her fingers, and the bullet sliced through the air and implanted itself in his skull. At impact, blood splattered against the ivory wall like a red rose blooming the dark as the man's knees gave in and he slumped against the wall. It took every bit of Rogue's willpower for her to not vomit at the gruesome sight. 

"Good-bye, Trask," she said hoarsely. She let the gun slip from her fingers and hit the hardwood floor. It spun around like the arrow in Russian Roulette until it finally pointed back to Rogue. _A warnin' o' the justice t' come?_ she wondered, but rejected the thought. _Momma an ah have killed b'fore. __Never been caught, either. Besides, it's not like anybody will miss him. As far as ah'm concerned, the world will rejoice in his absence._

"Need a hand, dear?" a low, feminine voice called from the kitchen. The question was followed by a click of high-heels against the floor as "Louise Eden" entered the living room. 

"Ah got it, Mystique," she replied. "But if ya can buy us some time..." 

She nodded, and Louise changed into Trask. She took a cell phone from his pocket and scrolled through the address book until she reached a number labeled: **WORK.** "Take care of him," she mouthed to her daughter while she held the receiver to her ear. 

Rogue nodded, surveying the bloody chaos around her. It would've been so much easier to have absorbed him and disposed of more neatly. After all, dropping a comatose man into a lake wouldn't involve blood. However, she learned her lesson when she killed Carol Danvers. Along with permanently retaining Carol's flight, super-strength, invulnerability, and sixth-sense, the woman's psyche was trapped inside Rogue's head forever. She most definitely did not want that man's sick, twisted thoughts in her mind for all eternity. 

"Elizabeth, darling, I'm afraid I won't be in the office for a couple months. Something's come up. Business as usual. Do not go ahead with Project Wideawake until I get back. Yes, I know. I have some things I need to fine tune first. Uh-huh. Good. Okay. I'll call in before I return. Okay. Good-bye." 

Mystique relaxed back into her natural form and threw the phone across the room. The plastic device skidded along the floor and finally rested at Trask's feet. "Well, what do you propose we do now?" 

"Y'r the expert," she answered. 

The woman circled around the body, thinking. "We could burn the building, but foul play would be quite obvious. It's better that no one suspects that Trask is dead. You wouldn't mind dropping him somewhere in the middle of the ocean, would you?" 

Rogue picked the man up with ease. "Work's f'r me. Ah take it ya took care o' Area 51?" 

Raven nodded. "The self-destruct mechanism should go off within ten minutes. I rigged the trigger to the phone." The older woman sighed. "Honestly, for such a top-secret governmental facility, the security is lacking- to say the least." 

"You'll clean up here, then?" 

She nodded again. "Yes, I'll take care of the apartment." As the girl turned to leave, Mystique added: "How did it feel... after what he did?" 

The Southern beauty turned to face her mentor and mother. "It felt nice to get revenge, although ah didn't feel too thrilled about th' killin'. But it was somethin' that had t' be done f'r the greater good o' mutantkind." 

"That's my girl," Raven responded with a hint of pride. The expression changed quickly, however, as darkness crossed over her exotic features. "Killing is never easy, nor is it something to enjoy. Just don't let your emotions get the better of you." 

Rogue levitated and hoisted Trask over her shoulder. "Ah'll be fine, Momma. Don't ya worry none 'bout me." 

Mystique frowned as her daughter took flight into the night sky. She briefly wondered if what she was doing was fair. After all, Rogue was barely seventeen. _Then again, how long would she last in a world like this? _she asked herself. _How many Trasks or Kellys could she live through?_

No, it was better that Rogue was involved. Soon the world would be better for mutants- for her. 

* ~ * 

_I hope this didn't suck too much. Please review. Romyness in the future- yay! You'll have to be patient, though. I have to get through the first couple of chapters before Remy and Rogue start getting close. Much love! Oh by the way, my other fic, Queen of Hearts, is in hiatus for right now (same with Broken Memories- but that's been like that since forever) because of my gay writer's block. I will try to update it, but it will be ending soon. A sequel to that is coming up later, but you'll have to wait until I finish this fic. _

_Dr. Eden died in the show- (I'm sure Evo wanted Eden to only be "sedated", but I wanted the bitch to die. lol)_


	2. Chapter One: Fear

**_Untitled- STILL_**

**Chapter One: Fear**

* ~ *

**Author's Note:** _Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm glad people are anxious to see my darker Rogue. __Rest assured, though, you will see her good side. Sorry it took so long for an update. This house has been a frenzy! I'm moving, so I've had to paint, clean, and whatever our house. Now it's on the market, so buy it! _ Oh, and I failed to mention that for fan fiction purposes, Carol was part of the X-Men. She was recruited instead of Rogue._

* ~ *

Home. It was a funny word. Jean Grey was always told that home was where the heart is; it was safe and full of love. Home was supposed to be somewhere that no malicious being could tear apart. Despite her parent's teachings, Jean began to lose faith in the home that she once found solace in. Though she was home again, it would never be the same. Her home was destroyed, Xavier disappeared, Carol was in a coma, and Evan left. Everything was falling apart.

She and her roommate, Katherine (or Kitty as her family and friends had affectionately dubbed her) Pryde were painting the walls of the reconstructed institute in absolute silence. Both of the girls didn't dare say every worry that was running through their minds- what if the damage couldn't be fixed as easily as the crumbling institute?

Of course, it wasn't like Jean was able to share her true feelings with the younger girl, anyway. Being an older, more responsible member of the team, she had to act like an adult. That meant spoon feeding meaningless lies to all her teammates. She told everyone that it was all right, that Xavier would be found, Carol would wake up, and that Evan would come back. She knew it wasn't the truth, but somehow the lies kept everything together.

Things had changed, and the residents at Xavier Institute would never return to their innocent lives. The world knew their secret. Perhaps Evan had been right to hide with the Morlocks. Jean had been captured. She knew what torture the human race would like to put mutants through. Yet, because of Xavier's dream, she kept fighting. Her heart was encased in fear, but she fought for the very same people who fought against her. Would there come a day when the humans won?

"Penny for your thoughts," Kitty said, casting a sideways glance at her friend.

Jean almost dropped her paintbrush in surprise. "Don't scare me like that!" she scolded.

She frowned. "Like, sorry. You were just so deep in thought, and I was just wondering what you were thinking about."

"It's okay," Jean replied. "I was just thinking about, you know, Scott..."

Scott had finally professed his true feelings for Jean when the X-Men rescued the captives at Area 51. He was so relieved to see her that he kissed her and told her everything she meant to him. Ever since that moment, the two had been inseparable. They looked to each other for comfort when they weren't doing their best to comfort their teammates. With all the sadness surrounding the team, Jean honestly hadn't been happier.

"I wish I knew what it was like to be in love..." Kitty sighed dreamily.

Jean grinned. "It's heaven. Scott's just been... wonderful."

"But you weren't smiling."

"Huh?"

Kitty shook her head. "You weren't smiling a while ago. You must've been thinking about something different."

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "And why does it matter anyway?"

She shrugged. "I was just concerned, that's all." Blue eyes pierced through Jean's emerald gems. "You looked, like, scared... is it about Area 51? Carol? Evan?"

Jean shook her head. "No. Don't worry about it, Kitty. It's over now."

Despite her words, the redhead felt a shiver travel up her spine. It wasn't over, and she knew it. It was only the beginning.

* ~ *

"A high-security governmental facility was rumored to have been breached last evening. An explosive was found planted in the building. Though it is a top-secret area, the information leaked a few days ago. While the bomb could have totaled the building, specialists were able to disarm it. While no one was available to comment, inside sources have informed us that security is increased, and guards are on their watch for further danger. The question remains, however: Who planted the bomb, and why did they do it?"

Raven swore under her breath. "Turn that shit off," she snapped.

Toad look up from his place in front of the TV. Rogue was sitting on the opposite side of the couch, trying to keep as far away from Todd as she could. A building flashed across the screen, and it caught his eye. "Hey, Boss Lady, wasn't that the place where you, Wanda, Fred, and Rogue were put in? After that Sentinel attack?"

"Yes," she replied tightly.

Rogue met her mother's eyes and quickly looked away. She could clearly see the question etched in the woman's face. "That errand ya asked me about... ah completed it."

Mystique glared at the television screen. She wanted to murder that reporter, and more importantly, the many people working at Area 51 who were _supposed to_ have been dead. "It hardly seems relevant now. One out of hundreds."

Toad cast the two women a quizzical glance. "What the hell are you two babblin' 'bout, yo?"

"Nothin' that's any o' y'r business," Rogue snapped with a roll of her eyes.

"Will you just shut up?" a girl asked. She was lying on the floor with her head resting on her elbows. Her cropped hair was an unusual shade of magneta, and her eyes were a piercing green. Bones protruded from her skin in various places, robbing her of any normal human appearance. Sarah Rushman, or Marrow, as everyone called her, wasn't the resident ray of sunshine. As the boys had said, the boarding house didn't need any more sarcastic bitches. "I'm trying to watch this!"

"Some one tried t' blow a buildin' up," Rogue snorted. "End of story."

"Bitch," Marrow snarled.

"Ugly."

"Will you stop fighting already?" Lance asked, annoyed.

"Oh and you an Pietro were always getting along?" she asked. Lance began to reply, but Rogue only rolled her eyes and began to walk out of the room.

Fred walked in from the kitchen and accidentally bumped into her. She just shrugged him off and stomped upstairs. He looked around the living room, meeting the many confused and angry faces. "Uh- I think I'm gonna make myself another sandwich. Anyone want something?"

A black cloud hung over the room. Mystique glared at him, and stalked off. Lance stared. Toad flicked his tongue back and forth. Marrow pointedly ignored him. Blob looked around, feeling awkward. "Uh- right. Guess not, then."

* ~ *

Rogue slipped under the dark comforter with a sigh. She just wanted to relax, but she couldn't help replaying last night's events. The blood- the gunshot- the sick feeling of smugness as she pulled the trigger- all of it was haunting her as if to say, "You're a bad girl."

_It had t' be done, _she reprimanded herself. _That's what Momma an ah do- all the ugly, dirty, an necessary thangs everyone else is too afraid t' do._

But did that make it right? Rogue found herself asking that same question over and over again. She killed many times before. So why did this murder hit home?

_Because it felt good..._ Carol accused her. _Just like you felt when you killed me. You liked it. You're a sick little bitch, you know that don't you?_

Rogue massaged her temples as a headache surfaced. It always happened when Carol started shouting in her head. _Just go away!_

_Remember? You felt all that power with me. You enjoy flying and super-strength and being able to get in a brawl without a scratch to show for it. You're happy that you took my powers, my life, and my identity!_

She tried to ignore her, but it wasn't easy. How could she shut out the same questions she asked herself every day since she joined her mother's cause?

_Ah only enoyed it cuz it was revenge... _she said.

_Who are you trying to convince? _Carol snapped. _Me or you? You're a murderer and you should pay for what you did to me!_

"Shut up!" Rogue screamed, though this time her voice pierced the dark room and echoed throughout the boarding house.

She could clearly hear the comments ascending from the living room.

"There she goes again, yo."

"Another episode?"

"I can't count how many time I've lost sleep because Little Miss Plantation Princess was duking it out with that girl in her head. I wish I would've been around to fight Danvers. Maybe then she'd be dead and the bitch would shut the hell up!"

"Chill out, Marrow."

"And I thought Wanda was the only psycho bitch in this house."

"You mean besides Mystique?"

"Speaking of which... Yo boss-lady! Aren't ya gonna check up on Roguey or somethin'?"

"Mind your own business, you worthless amphibian!"

"Yep, she definitely ranks up there as the top crazy bitch."

Rogue wondered how they would react if they knew she could hear every word they said. She doubted they would care- Marrow, at least, would take delight that her insults were received. Only Lance might feel guilty. Then again, he had become so jealous over Rogue's sudden superiority in the team that he might enjoy causing her some pain. On many occasions, Lance had complained that "Just because she's Mystique's little pet she gets to boss everyone around."

"You try doin' mah job, Lance," she hissed. "Killin' people is no treat. Havin' people stuck inside mah head sure as hell ain't an occupational perk."

With that statement, Rogue's mind returned to the gruesome memories of Bolivar Trask's demise...

_ Rogue floated above the sea and watched Trask's body drift further into the water. The ocean breeze ran it's icy fingers across her body. Rain and blood-soaked hair flew forward, pasting itself to her pale cheeks. Pink liquid dripped dangerously close to her lips. She shivered involuntarily in the cold night._

_ The water spit into the air, and her nostrils were filled with the smell of salt and blood. Bile rose to her throat as the sickening reality of what she'd done washed over her. She vomited and cried, all the while hearing Carol's haunting voice in the back of her mind._

_ "For your crimes..."_

"Rogue, darling, are you all right?"

She looked up, startled. "M-Mystique! When'd you come in?"

The woman offered a weak smile. "Only a few minutes. I heard your cry. Is everything okay?"

She nodded. "Carol just stopped in f'r a friendly visit."

Golden orbs dripped with sympathy. Raven didn't know what to say. She wished she hadn't asked Rogue to absorb and kill Danvers- or at least to have held on so long. The opportunity to destroy one of the X-Men was just too sweet to pass up. However, the assassin did not know that the murder of the nation's adored superhero would tear Rogue apart. Mystique only wanted to see what would happen if Rogue held on- if she could retain Danver's powers for longer or even forever, Rogue would be an even greater asset to the team. The experiment seemed to work- that is, until Carol began trying to take over her body and filled the girl's mind with words of hate.

If Mystique could take it back, she would. The pain that it had caused Rogue outweighed the power it could give their cause. She would never again ask Rogue to hold on for so long.

Pushing sentiments aside, Mystique cleared her throat. She couldn't afford to waste anymore time with silly emotions- business was business. "Area 51 is off-limits for now since its attempted demolition. We'll have to set our sights else where."

Rogue wasn't surprised at how quickly the mood of the room had changed. Mystique was as notorious for changing personalities as she was at faces. The all-business persona had been a regular for years. Rogue looked at her foster mother. "An where would that be? Gyrich?"

The woman shook her head. "Marrow took care of Mr. Gyrich a few nights ago. Right now, Area 51 is our prime target, but I under-estimated their security. We won't be able to make a second attempt until we get better weapons and have a better plan. I'll work on that, but for now..." Mystique paused, pulling a metal collar from behind her back and holding it up in the air like it was some disgusting organism. "Dr. Moreau."

* ~ *

I'm sorry if Jean seemed OOC. She's not one of my favorite characters, but she seemed like the best one to use for this chapter. I hope this isn't too confusing. Be patient for Remy's appearance! 


	3. Chapter Two: Plans

**_Shadowed Hearts_**

**Chapter Two: Plans**

* ~ *

Rogue watched the collar dangle from Mystique's indigo fingertips. She suddenly felt sick- trapped. The simple, harmless necklace rendered her completely helpless when Trask and his men had placed it on her neck; now, even without physical contact, it had the same effect. "The collar..."

Yellow eyes studied her face with curiosity. "What's wrong, Rogue?"

Her lips parted slightly, trying to find the words to describe what that collar had allowed them to do. "Stripped away mah powers... so vunerable... ah-" She couldn't finish it. She had tried to bury the memories, just like Raven had taught her to do with the psyches in her head. But like Carol, the little bitch kept screaming in her ear. It just added to the many memories that ate away at her conscious, and more importantly, her soul. 

Raven dropped the collar, realization striking her like a cold blade into her stomach. "Rogue... did they-?" The woman didn't want to finish the sentence anymore than her daughter did. Steeling herself for what she was about to say, the shape-shifter sucked in a breath of air and continued. "...Rape you?" 

The girl slowly shook her head and Mystique let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God." 

"The guards tried t'," Rogue said softly. "Ah tried t' fight at first, but ah was too weak. They just kept messin' with mah head, an ah just... sunk deeper int' mah mind..." 

"Rogue, why didn't you tell me?" Raven asked. "I could've-" 

"Helped me?" she finished. "Look, Mystique. Ya already helped me. When ah was in that cell, the psyches in mah head were th' only thangs that kept me goin'. You, everyone in this house, even, suprisin'ly, the X-Men- y'all made me fight when ah would've given up on mah own." 

"You still should've told me..." she said. "If I would've known it would be better for both of us. You need some one to talk to." 

"No offense, Momma, but who am ah gonna talk t'? You? Some thangs are best left untouched, even by mothers. Lance an ah used t' talk... before the whole Sentinel attack. Besides, it's over now. Ah'd just rather do mah job than waste time with irrelevant chit chat." 

Mystique winced at how much Rogue was beginning to sound like her. She could already see her teachings and examples reflecting in her daughter's stony green eyes. "But-" She sighed, defeated, and picked up the collar as though the simple action could fix the damage. 

"Dr. Moreau is residing here at Bayville- for the moment. He's apparently being taken care of by Magneto and his Acolytes. It seems they are very interested in using Dr. Moreau's invention for an island called Genosha." 

"What's Genosha?" 

She made a face. "Well, it's rumored to be a haven for mutants, but my research has uncovered dark secrets under its paradise-like guise. It seems to actually be a slave camp for mutants." 

Rogue wasn't too surprised at this revelation, but she still didn't understand why Magneto was funding this project. "So why's ol' Maggie so interested in a modern day concentration f'r mutants?" 

"He isn't," she replied simply. Raven wound the collar around her fingers, deep in thought. "Magneto was handed over the country. He began ruling it a couple months ago, and only God knows what the man has up his sleeve." 

"What does he gain by rulin' that place?" Rogue asked, obviously disgusted by Magneto's plan. 

Mystique shrugged. "Mutant superiority, I assume. Although, the booming economy would provide ample funds for his weapons and bases." 

"Ah just don't get Magneto," she snapped. "What do ya want me t' do? Kill Moreau?" 

"Yes, but not quite and definitely not yet..." she answered. "I'm more worried about what Magneto is really planning behind all of this. I need to know more about Genosha and what he has planned, but most importantly, I want Magnus out of the picture for good. I want you to infiltrate his base and kill him, along with any Acolyte who gets in the way. He's provided enough problems for our cause. We're getting close to our dream, Rogue, I can feel it." 

Rogue couldn't ignore the feeling over fear creep over her. Magneto was a very powerful mutant, and definitely not one who could be killed so easily. "Wouldn't you be a bettah candidate f'r the job, Mystique?" 

She shook her head. "Magneto would know, just as you would know, that any form I took was still me. You both know me well enough to sense my presence, even if I am taking another form." 

"Ah dunno. Are ya sure ah'm fit t' do this?" 

Raven smiled slightly. "Dear, I wouldn't have entrusted just anyone with a job like this I know you can handle it." 

She still was wary. "But won't he get suspicious. After all, ah am y'r daughter." 

Mystique tossed the collar to her daughter who captured it in her right palm. She crossed over to Rogue's dresser and frowned at the picture laying on top of it. It was a family portrait of she, Irene, and Rogue a few years ago. The smiling faces in the picture reminded Raven of the innocent carefree lives the family once led. It was such a pity that is had to be ripped away from them. 

"Well?" Rogue asked whilst drumming her fingers along the bedspread impatiently. 

"Don't worry about Erik," she said, turning to face the girl. "We'll have him wrapped around you little finger- given the right incentive." 

* ~ * 

The white walls were just as he remembered it, and the scent of harsh cleaners and disinfectants only brought back painful memories. He didn't want to remember the first time he came here to see her. The first time she lay comatose in the starched linen he almost wanted to break down and cry... his student... a kid... had her entire life taken from her by one simple touch from an evil terrorist. In his all his life, he never thought anything like that would ever happen. He though his charges were untouchable- safe. What a fool he had been. 

Today a short-haired nurse was checking up on the blonde sleeping beauty. There always was a new one. She changed the IV pack and turned to smile at him. "Are you here to see Miss Danvers?" 

"Yeah," he replied gruffily. "She doin' any better?" 

The nurse shook her head sadly. "Still no response. But like Susan said, talking to her will help her. Even though she can't respond to you consciously, she can still hear you." 

"Yeah." 

She smiled again. "Shall I leave you two alone, Mr...?" Her voice trailed at the question. 

"Logan," he replied. 

"Very, well, Mr. Logan. We'll be in to check on her progress in a few hours." 

Wolverine watched the woman walk out of the room. The door shut softly behind her and she padded further down the hall. He sat by the bed and waited a few minutes before speaking. 

"Hey, kid," he said. "How are ya doing?" 

She didn't respond. He didn't expect her to, but somehow he wished she would say _something._ Holding a conversation with the sleeping beauty was like talking to the pillow her lovely head was resting on. In is mind, he imagined her at least moving her finger in response. When he checked, however, it was in the same place as it was before. 

"I'm real sorry, kid. I know I can't do anything about it. But believe me, I would if I could. If I could get my hands on that bitch who did this to ya, I'd..." 

Logan didn't finish his sentence. "I'd get your life back, Carol. And somehow, I will. I promise." 

He squeezed her hand tightly, fighting back the feelings of hate and sorrow that surfaced in his throat. "You've got my word. I'll make everything right, Carol. For all of us." 

* ~ * 

"Can't beat a royal flush, _ homme_," Remy LeBeau said as he laid down his hand of cards. Without even waiting for a response, he scooped up the dollar bills and change placed on the table. "Guess Gambit get all de loot." 

St. John Allerdyce, or Pyro as he preferred, threw down his two pair with a sigh. "Damn it, I should've known not t' play poker with you. You always bloody win!" 

"It's a gift," he replied with a grin. "An Gambit t'anks you for yo' generousity." 

Piotr Rasputin placed down his full house with a shrug. He picked up his novel and got up. "This game is pointless. I'll be in my room reading. Tell me if you two have anything interesting to do." 

"Ouch," Pietro said as he watched Colossus walk down the hall. He ran up to the remaining men. "Cards! Ha! Don't you have anything better to do?" 

Pyro gave the speed demon an ugly look, one that Pietro did not miss. "Well, mate, since Maggie, the cat [**A/N:** Magneto and Sabretooth], and the rest of the adults are discussing some top-secret battle plans and it's storming like bloody hell outside... no." 

Quicksilver smiled smugly. "Yeah, well, what would happen if I told Magneto that you guys were wasting time around here?" 

Remy casually charged an ace with kinetic energy. "Don' t'ink he'll really care, tattle-tale. _Mais_ but if ya wanna play dat way, 'll be more den happy t' rise t' de occasion." 

"Is that a challenge?" 

He smirked. "_Non_, it was a threat." 

John walked the exchange carefully. Pietro clenched his fists and glared at the Cajun, who only smiled with complete confidence. Remy was obviously not sweating him. 

"Just wait, Gumbo, I'll kick your ass." 

He made a mock-pouty face. "What, you gonna tell _ta papa_your daddy an get him t' protect ya?" 

Pietro charged at him in a flash, knocking the mutant down. "I'd like to hear you say that again." 

Gambit pushed himself up from the floor and grinned. "What, you gonna tell _ta papa_an get him t' protect ya?" he repeated slowly, as though his competition was mentally deficient. 

John smiled. "I bet five bucks on Gambit," he said as Wanda walked in. 

She rolled her eyes. "Pietro's too fast. I'll put ten on my idiot brother." 

A card flew out and landed at Pietro's feet, but he ran away before it exploded. He charged at Gambit again, who, with amazing reflexes, knocked his into a wall with his bo staff. "Not fast enough, _homme._" 

A knock sounded from the heavy oak door in the living room. The fighting ceased, much to Wanda and John's dislike. No one moved. Annoyed, the Scarlet Witch rose from her seat. The click of black combat boots echoed through the room as Wanda walked to the door. She opened it, and was surprised to see a gothic-clad brunette beauty standing before her. 

"Hi," the girl said softly. 

The three men's eyes wandered to the door, studying the stranger. She apparently passed the inspection. Wanda looked over at the slack-jawed group with disgust. She glared once more at the girl in the doorway. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her low voice dripping with acid. 

She wiped a drop of moisture from her brow. The rain was assaulting the girl, but she didn't seem to mind standing out on the porch, as she was completely soaked anyway. Her violet-tinted lips opened in response. "Ah need t' speak with Magneto," she rasped. 

* ~ * 

Dun-dun-dun! Dramatic reverse! Watch out for more! A title, a title. *Dances* REVIEW OR ELSE! 


	4. Chapter Three: Action

**_Shadowed Hearts_**

**Chapter Three: Action**

* ~ *

"What's your business with him?" Wanda asked in a guarded tone.

The three boys watched the rain-soaked girl curiously. She looked a bit annoyed at not being invited inside, but remained collected nonetheless. "None o' y'rs..." she said calmly, but it didn't escape without a hint of malice.

"I think it is my business you little-"

Gambit spoke up, interrupting the Scarlet Witch. "_Chere, _why don' you get _ton frere_ your father? We'll make sure t' accommodate Mam'selle Rogue while yo' gone." 

"Fine," she huffed.

He smiled at Rogue as Wanda flounced out of the library. "C'mon in, _p'tite_. Have a seat. Dat was just Wanda. She might bite ya, but we sure won't."

_Unfortunately, Wanda an ah have already been introduced. _Rogue reluctantly walked in, feigning concern with dripping all over the carpet. She paused and took a seat in a large, over-stuffed, leather armchair. "Sorry t' just barge in here like this," she said.

"Ah, don't worry. She'll be apples," Pyro said with a smile. Rogue gave the Aussie a strange look, but he didn't seem to notice it. "I'm John Allerdyce, or Pyro, an the man with the silver tongue would be Remy LeBeau, or Gambit." He pointed to the rugged boy with chestnut brown tresses and strange black-on-red demon eyes. A haughty boy with silver hair and sapphire eyes winked at her. Rogue guessed by his appearance that he was Magneto's other child. John identified the boy with a lazy wave of his hand. "That's Pietro Maximoff- better known as Quicksilver."

She smiled politely, silently remembering to torture Magneto for making her listen to three hormone-driven boys, who she could care less about, tell their life stories. "Ah'm just Rogue," she said lamely.

_Getting anxious for the kill? _Carol questioned bitterly.

_Shut up,_ Rogue replied automatically. When the words actually had the chance to sink in, however, Rogue's reaction was different. She felt... guilty. But why? _Look, it's just somethin' ah gotta do._

_ And you so blindly trust Mystique? _she snarled. _Not that I care what you do, but do you even know why you're doing this?_

_ O' course! _Rogue retorted. She racked her mind for an explanation, but even after all those vocabulary tests in English Honors, it alluded her. Instead of a reason- some brilliant dream she was fighting for- a weak, but true, excuse escaped. _Cause Mystique told me t'._

_ Exactly what I thought, _Carol said as-a-matter-of-factly. _Perhaps you should question why she would rather have you do her dirty work. Miss Master of Disguise wants **you **of all people to spy on and kill Magneto? Doesn't sit right to me._

_ Y'r just sayin' that cause ya used t' be an X-Geek._

She snorted. _Well, if you want to be turned into a refrigerator magnet, it's not like I care..._

_ Whatever-_

The demon-eyed boy was talking again. "So, what's dis all about? Why you need t' talk t' ol' Maggie?"

Remy's eyes captured her again- they were so strange, but oddly enough- beautiful. She looked away when he met her gaze. Pietro stared at her, boredly. She finally let her eyes rest on Pyro, who was playing with his lighter. _What a loony bunch this is... _she thought. "Well, it's kinda personal. Ah'd rather not say it with you guys here."

John obviously had taken her statement in a different way. "Oh, sure, _personal_ problems."

Before Rogue could reply, Wanda stomped into the room with her father in tow. He looked different from the many times she had seen him on the battle field- or arguing/"negotiating" with Mystique. Gone was his regal robe and strange helmet that had caused the whole Boarding House to dub him "Bucket Head." He wore a light blue long-sleeved shirt and dark slacks. The outfit almost lent him the air of normalcy, but the impression was shattered as Rogue knew one of the most powerful mutants on earth was standing right in front of her. Though homely and dressed down, he was still just as intimidating. She met his solemn face and avoided his piercing blue eyes. "Magneto," she breathed softly.

His expression was void of emotion. Wanda sat down next to her brother as Magneto walked toward Rogue. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked.

"Ah need t' speak t' ya," she answered. The Acolytes stared at the two as though they were watching a movie. She expected some one to say, "Pass the popcorn." Rogue's emerald gems focused back on Magneto. "Alone."

"Very well," he said. "Follow me."

The Acolytes groaned as Magneto led Rogue to a more private area.

"I wanted to know," John whined.

* ~ *

"Ah figure ya'd want me t' cut t' the chase," Rogue said simply as Magento took a seat at his desk. He motioned for her to sit down in the black office chair parallel to him. She remained standing. "Ah need y'r help..."

He smiled slightly. "Mystique's daughter, asking _me_ for help? What exactly is it you need, child?"

She stiffened at being called child, and held back the urge to snap at him. "Ah need ya t' help me with mah powers..."

_Why? So you can control them and next time you can make sure that your victim is dead? _Carol snapped.

Rogue tried to push the woman out of her mind, but she wasn't succeeding. Magneto even noticed that her eyes had suddenly shifted from a bright jade to an icy blue.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded. "That's the problem. You see, I absorbed this girl-" Rogue finally forced Carol to return back into her subconscious. Her normal appearance and drawl returned. "...A girl named Carol that is trapped in mah mind..."

"Carol is- _was_- one of Charles' pupils, was she not?"

Rogue nodded. She cast him a side-ways glance in regards to his informality at the mention of Xavier's name. She wondered if they had a past that know one knew about. Mystique certainly seemed to think so. She forced the suspicions aside, and concentrated on Magnus once again. "Yes, an it was kinda... _complicated._" Rogue tried to choose her words carefully, but she didn't cover up the fact that she so blatantly killed the girl. She didn't overlook Magneto's sharp look, either.

"I'm afraid you'll have to inform me of your circumstances," he said coldly. "I do not know what happened, or how I can even help."

She took a deep breath and began to explain. "Well, it all started when we were exposed as mutants an, o' course, the Sentinels came after us..."

* ~ *

_Carol Danvers __saw the Brotherhood as she sliced through the amazingly blue sky. It seemed peculiar for such a bright, sunny day to hold such a ominous under-lining beneath its cheerful __pretense. Mystique and her band of teenage mutant thugs appeared to be mere insects, and she was confident that they would be almost as easy to squash as bugs._

_ "Miss Marvel, this is Storm. Do you read me?"_

_ The blonde fought the urge to laugh at the military formalness her mentor used when speaking to her through the communicator. "Loud and clear Storm. What's the situation?"_

_ "The Brotherhood appears to be planning an attack on our team. Mystique claims it is time that mutants were revealed as the 'gods' they are. We are currently the only people opposing their goal. I have sent Jean, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops after them also, but I need you to buy them some time."_

_ "No problem," she told her. "Just leave these punks to me."_

_ "Be careful," Ororo told her. "Many of the mutants under Mystique's __tutelage are much more dangerous than we give them credit for. Especially Rogue. You know as well as I do that she has defeated our team many times."_

_ "Yeah, yeah," Carol responded._

_ The girl's vision seemed to focus into a pin-point view, closing in on the opposing team as she swooped down from the sky. She descended swiftly with more speed than the most advanced airplane. The trail of wind behind her crackled as she broke the sound barrier. In mere seconds, she was on the ground._

_ "Someone's looking for a fight, I hear," she told them._

_ Avalanche glared, sending tremors through the earth. "Looks like we found one after all," he snapped._

_ Carol easily avoided the onslaught of his attack by hovering in the air. Toad was next to attack. His tongue curled out, grabbing her by the wrist as he delivered a mighty kick. Thanks to her invulnerability, Carol was only temporally phased. Soon after, she conjured up her super-strength and sent him flying into one of the bridge's metal poles._

_ Wanda smirked at the girls outfit. "Funny costume, Marvel. Figured most people wouldn't walk outside in it even on Halloween, though."_

_ She returned the insulting half-smile. "I should say the same about you, witch. But I know it's just your face."_

_ Energy crackled around the angry girl, and Carol was so distracted by dodging Wanda's hex bolts that she didn't see Rogue sneak up on her from behind. The girl place two bare hands on her tan arms, and Miss Marvel felt her entire __essence being sucked from her body._

_ In surprise and agony, the blonde beauty __soared into the sky. Rogue was still tightly clutching the woman's body. Both girls could hear Mystique call out, "Don't let go Rogue!"_

_ Rogue wasn't about to. She enjoyed the pure prowess coursing into her veins, just like every other time she absorbed. The transfer of power into her body was sweet. It was a dark thought that she tried to push back into her mind, but she couldn't deny the fact that despite her mutation's curse, she enjoyed using her ability. Besides, the two were so high into the sky that if Rogue let go, she would fall to her death._

_ "Why are you doing this to me?!" Carol asked, getting weaker by each second as the climber higher in the air._

_ She froze. **Why am ah doin this?** Rogue asked herself. She knew that Carol was the enemy, and that the effects her power would __present the girl with were only temporary. But something about holding on for so long felt wrong... It felt like she had held Carol in her arms for an eternity. No reason could justify the shiver traveling up her spine- not even the vision Rogue had over-heard Destiny discuss with Mystique, the prophecy that one day Carol would kill Rogue, and in another prediction, Mystique. This was wrong. She wanted to let go, but her hands were almost suctioned to Miss Marvel's cold, lifeless arms._

_ In an instant, the pair were plummeting back down to earth. Carol was still attempting to fight against Rogue, but she was so far gone that she could barely lift a finger in defense. The woman's body was so cold, and that chill traveled through Rogue's once burning arms. In a last attempt to save her soul, Rogue wretched Carol from her grasp and flung her into the water below._

_ "Ah didn't mean t'..." she whispered._

_ As the X-Men arrived to battle the Brotherhood, they saw the fall of their beloved teammate. Kitty, who seemed most affected by the sight (as she was roommate to the girl), leapt towards the edge of the bridge, reaching down as though she were going to plunge into the water after her friend. Wolverine, however, held her back._

_ Rogue watched this with a sickening feeling. Then she realized that she wasn't falling anymore, she was floating in the air above the chaos. The powers and memories of Carol were now hers, and she was beginning to lose control of her own body._

_ **Murderer!**_

**_ Witch!_**

**_ You stole my life!_**

_ Jean levitated up to the murderess, but she didn't get a chance to get revenge. A handful of large robots appeared from the city. Magneto and his Acolytes were fending them off. Many of the androids got past the __ambush and proceeded to the others._

_ "What the hell are those?" she heard Lance ask._

_ "They're Sentinels," Mystique answered. "And they were apparently built for one purpose: to seek out and destroy all mutants."_

* ~ *

"When the X-Men found her, she was still alive, but pretty much a vegetable. Ah thought she would wake up after a few days, but she never did. Her powers are still stuck inside o' me, an so is her mind." 

Magneto was silent for a long time. He finally folded his hands across the desk and sighed. "How can I help?"

"You have the technology," Rogue reminded him. "That chamber on the asteroid... this secret base... all y'r advanced weaponry and computers... ah know ya can find somethin' that can help me."

"The chamber was destroyed," he said somberly. "Besides, even if I could rebuild it, I'm not certain that it would help rid you of Carol's psyche."

"Please, Magneto," Rogue insisted. "Y'r the only one ah can turn t'. Mystique got real angry when ah told her ah was leavin' t' find help or at least ah was gonna ask you. Lawd knows ah love her, but she can't do anythin' t' help me now."

"Well, I am quite certain that Raven will welcome you into her home again," he replied. Magneto rose from his chair and turned towards the door. "Because you cannot stay here. Charles, perhaps, would be a better savoir. I am not that bringer of miracles, child, especially not to my former enemy."

_Bastard,_ Rogue thought. She struggled to control her emotions long enough to lay an incredible guilt-trip on the man. "Xavier will never help me after what ah did t' Carol. An ah can't go back home... Mystique... told me t' never come back if ah was gonna betray her like that. We fight f'r the same dream, Magneto. Can't ya see that?"

He paused and turned to face the teenager. "Are you asking to join this team, even if I cannot offer you any help?"

She nodded. "It's about the only choice ah got right now. Ah hope it's okay with you."

Magneto used his powers to open the door. Remy, John, Pietro, and Wanda all fell on top of each other in the doorway. "Wanda, please escort Rogue to her new room. She will be staying with us for a short while."

"Ugh, Gambit get off of me!" the Scarlet Witch exclaimed while shoving off an extremely stunned Cajun. "I told you that he knew we were eavesdropping."

Wanda and the other finally managed to get up. She stomped through the hallway. Rogue began to follow the older girl, but Wanda just shot her a dirty look. "You can find your own room," she snarled and stalked off.

Rogue just stood in the hallway, stunned. _Great. Ah get rid o' Marrow, an now ah get Wanda. Why didn't ah remember that she'd be here?_ She was ready about to turn around and ask someone for help when she found herself face-to-face with the demon-eyed Cajun she had been introduced to moments ago. "Uh-hi?"

"Looks like ya need a tour guide p'tite," he said huskily. "An Gambit would be happy t' show ya around."

She batted her eyelashes mockingly. "Why a big strong gentleman like you wants t' lil' ol' me around? Ah could just about _die..._" He eyed her strangely and she rolled her eyes. "_Please._ Just a tip, Swamp Rat, you'll have bettah luck with Miss Tall Dark an Angry than ya evah will with me."

Remy watched her retreating figure with a grin. "Gambit sure loves a challenge..." 

* ~ *

Dun-dun-dun.... again. Why doesn't Wanda like Rogue? What does Rogue have up her sleeve? Will Magneto catch on to the plan? WHEN WILL THE ROMYNESS COME INTO PLAY? All questions will be revealed... later.

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all the reviews! I'm really getting into this story, but the updates may be a bit sporadic. With school at an end (for now anyway), finals and assignments _were_ tying up my time. Plus, I have work on top of that. Not to mention the fact that I'm still recovering from last night's concert. Who ever decided that huge guys that are 6"3 should crowd-surf on top of tiny teenage girls? *sigh* Anyway, I read kitana's review and after re-reading chapter two I do agree that the curse words were unnecessary... huh... I guess I was just in a pissed off mood that day. I will try to filter out all the excessive f-bombs and such. Also, for all of those who were wondering (a lot of you asked this question): No, Rogue was not raped. She was talking about "fighting" because they had _assaulted _her, but they didn't actually _rape _her. So they actually didn't actually penetrate her or anything. I hope that makes sense. I wanted to address the assault issue because a lot of fics have brought this up before- plus you had that thing on Genosha. She wasn't actually raped there, but yeah... I don't want to get into it too much because any kind of sexual assault is bad... trust me. As for the Carol issue... Yes, Logan and Carol have a relationship like he and Rogue have in the actual series. And yes he does know that Rogue is a teenager. The only reason why he feels like dealing "revenge" to Rogue is because it was a very adult action, and she deserves adult consequences. Plus, the explanation I just came up with makes Logan less of a creepy character in this story... -lol- Please, please review and if you have any constructive criticism, don't be afraid to add it! I'd love to improve my writing and this story. :-)


	5. Chapter Four: Questions

**_Shadowed Hearts_**

**Chapter Four: Questions**

* ~ *

"Father, you can't be serious!" Wanda Maximoff roared as she paced around her father's study. She did not like Rogue, not at all, and she wanted to make that _very _clear to the Master of Magnetism. "She's a liar, a murderess, and a floozy all in one! How could you let that bitch into this house?!"

Rogue and Wanda were always at each other's throats at the Boarding House, much to the other residents' surprise. They seemed so alike, but in reality they were galaxies apart. Mystique had to constantly tear them apart; her only motive for it was the ensured welfare of her beloved daughter. Mystique didn't care much for anyone in the Brotherhood, save for herself and Rogue. In truth, Wanda found Rogue to be too much like her foster mother: she was a liar, a cheat, had major mood swings, and of course, seemed to get along _too well_ with all the boys- that is, until Mystique started sending her out for "business trips". Jealousy had gotten the best of everyone, but it only further fueled Wanda's hatred.

_ I suppose I'm not one to talk, _she thought. _After all, I was the one hexing everyone's sorry ass to next Tuesday every time they aggravated me._

"I'll ask you not to take that tone with me," Magneto replied as coldly as ever.

For the millionth time, she wondered if her father was ever happy and carefree. For as long as she could remember, he was a loving, albeit very strict and aloof man. From her memories, Wanda could not remember why she had held such hatred towards Magneto. She could see herself loathing his superior and serious stature, and it seemed to be the only plausible reason to have any hatred towards the megalomaniac. After all, he brought her up with love and spoiled her beyond any child's fantasy; he rescued her from Area 51. She didn't have any reason to hate him.

...Right?

A foreign thought tickled at her conscious mind. A place filled with white walls... a chair... a feeling of abandonment, hurt, and anger... But she did not remember any of it.

"Wanda, are you listening to me?" he asked slowly, not used to his daughter remaining silent after his reprimanding. _Maybe she's learning to control her anger after all..._

"Nothing you can say can change my mind," she snapped bitterly. "She's obviously over here because Mystique wants someone's head- and it's probably yours! Father, how can you be so dense?!"

"Dense?!" he bellowed. "I know perfectly well what Raven may have sent her daughter to do, and I'm going to keep a watchful eye on her. However, for now I choose to use the girl to our advantage. And I do not see how it is any of your business, child. I am the adult here- the leader. I make the decisions, and if you do not like them, then you can leave."

She blinked, surprised and taken aback. _He has never acted like this, she thought, though something in the back of her mind seemed to think that he had. __I must be really upsetting him. "I guess it is your decision, Father," she said, trying to keep the rage out of her voice. She turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving Magneto to return to his paper work._

_ It's more complicated than you think, Wanda... _he thought wearily. He turned his attention to the concept sketches of the Genoshian collar, the argument forgotten.

* ~ *

"An dis is de lab," Gambit finished with a grin as he pulled Rogue into the metal-encased room. He moved closer to her, which she only found even more annoying. "Wanna play doctor, _chere?"_

She glared at him and yanked her arm from his hand. "Ah said, ah didn't want a tour! Now let me go b'fore ah-!" She stopped, however, when she saw a man with graying hair and various machines humming around him. _Could it be?_ she thought. Outwardly, she masked any hint of her suspicions. "Who is this?"

The man jumped at the sound of her voice. "Oh, hello." He laughed. "I guess I got too preoccupied with my work." The man gave Remy a sharp glance. "Gambit, didn't Magnus tell you not to come down here with guests?"

He shrugged. "Dis Rogue. She gon' be stayin' wit us fo' a while. An dis be Dr. Moreau. He's de resident scientist. Fo' Genosha, all dough 'm sure Maggie already mentioned dat bit o' information t' ya."

She shook her head. "Ah had no idea."

"Well, perhaps he wanted to share that information at the briefing tonight," Dr. Moreau said with a small smile. He noticed Rogue's eyes scanning the hardware before him. They were not curious eyes; they were emerald gems blazing with interest- dangerous pieces of equipment that took swift but efficient notes. He silently wondered if he could trust the girl. _I shall talk with Magnus about her, _he thought.With a suspicious look at the girl he added, "I have a lot of work to do before then, so why don't you two run along?"

Remy nodded, but Rogue bristled at his tone. _He thinks that we're only children, _she thought, annoyed. _Unfortunately for him, Ah ain't a child. An he'll find that out soon._

_ Ooooh, everyone's scared of the big bad Rogue, _Carol taunted in her mind. She snorted. **_Please_**_. You could see the look he gave you. He knows you're looking for something._

Panic rose his her throat. Rogue searched the man's aged face for any suggestion that her words were true. She couldn't find one. He only seemed on guard, as though she might hurry home and duplicate the work he had spent many nights creating. _He has no clue,_ she thought smugly.

_ "Chere?"_ Gambit asked. "You comin'?"

She threw the doctor a brilliant Southern smile and leaned against the table. "Nice meetin' ya, Mr. Moreau," she said, shaking his hand. "Ah only hope we can further acquaint ourselves."

"Likewise," he said cheerfully, but noted the sinister undertone in her honey-sweet drawl.

Certain that there was no problem, she turned around and followed Remy up the stairs. Dr. Moreau rose from his metal desk and closed the door behind the retreating figures. He went back to his work and decided to share his suspicions of their new guest with Magneto after the briefing.

* ~ *

_ The sky was completely gray and the earth was void of any life. The cracked and thirsty dirt left dusty footprints behind as she walked towards the shadow beckoning her. When the girl got near the shadow, it only seemed farther away. It was as though the distance between them extended every time she took a step._

_ "Who are you?" she asked. Her voice echoed in the desolate landscape._

_ "I am your fears," it hissed, and exploded into a mist that moved towards her._

_ She tried to run, but her legs were frozen in fear. The mist encircled her, and suddenly the scene began to shift. She was in the institute, but it was more sinister than she remembered._

_ "Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"_

_ There was no answer. Her own frightened voice bounced back._

_ "Jean? Scott? Kurt?" she tried, and again, her calls were unreturned._

_ "Bobby? Amara? Anyone?"_

_ She began to take cautious steps into Xavier's study. He would be able to tell her what was happening. He would be able to help her. She depended on him._

_****__**But he's gone,**_ she realized with a drop of her heart. **And he'll never, ever come back.**__

_ Still, what little naive thread of hope she held on to urged her to open the door. Perhaps Xavier would magically be at his desk like the many times before. When she stepped inside the room, however, a different person sat at the desk. He flashed the girl a malevolent grin and addressed her with an odd chuckle. "Katherine."_

_ She backed up, trying to retrace her steps and escape the study. But her back only hit the closed, wooden door. She was trapped with Magneto, and the beating of her heart was deafening. "Where's the Professor?" she asked. "And where are the others?"_

_ Another figure, one she had not noticed before, turned around and sneered. Her white teeth made a frightening contrast against her dark blue lips. "They're not in right now. Can I take a message?"_

_ Kitty suddenly realized she'd heard these words before and shuddered. "What did you, like, do to them?" she asked nervously._

_ Frenzied thoughts were already racing through the girl's head. **Mystique and Magneto have finally teamed up,** she thought. **They've killed or captured all my friends, teammates, and teachers. And now they've, like, come to take me! And all I can do is, like, stand here and ask dumb questions? Well what else am I supposed to do? Phase them to death? Not on my life! I've totally got to think of some way out of here so I can rescue the others.**_

_ Slowly, Kitty began to slip through the door. Magneto's grin only grew wider. "Frightened, child?"_

_ "No need to be," Mystique taunted. "We're only protecting you and your precious institute. Protecting them from the real 'bad guys.'"_

_ "And who is that?" Kitty asked, huffily. She stepped back into the room._

_ "Humans," Magneto answered frankly._

_ She blinked and was suddenly aware of the militia outside of the window, of angry voices threatening to burn her, to send her to Area 51 like they had sent her friends so she could be studied on. So they could find a cure for the "mutant problem." She widened her blue eyes and realized that Mystique and Magneto were the only ones who could save her._

_ "Come with us," Mystique cooed. She sauntered up to the girl, who shrank back in disgust and fear. "If you join us, you'll be safe. The humans won't hurt us. We'll hurt them. We'll eliminate them because they are unworthy, and mutants will rule supremely as they have always been meant to. We won't have to run or hide from humans, because they'll be running and hiding from us."_

_ She sounded so sure; Kitty felt so unsure._

_ "All your friends have sided with us," she continued. "They've all seen the truth in Xavier's dream. It's a lie. The dream is as dead as Charles himself."_

_ Something in the shape-shifter's words didn't sit right. Something snapped inside Kitty. Raised her head to meet Raven's golden eyes and exclaimed indignantly, "You're the ones who killed him! I won't let his dream die! None of the X-Men will, because his dream will live inside all of us! And-and... I'd rather let humans torture me or kill me than, like, turn my back on what I believe!"_

_ Mystique and Magneto looked at each other and laughed. Kitty glared at them._

_ "So you'd rather die than face the truth?" Mystique asked. "That humans are going to kill us if we don't kill them first? Bite them before they bite you, Kitty Cat."_

_ "I won't bite anyone!" she cried._

_ Magneto laughed again. "Very well then. Let them kill you, child. Then you will die just like the others."_

_ Suddenly the room was gone, and the humans were all around her- screaming at her- grabbing her. Kitty screamed, but nothing escaped from her mouth. And then that's when someone flicked on a lighter._

Kitty bolted up from her bed, crying and screaming in pain and fear. Jean was already at her side, her crimson red hair framing around her face like a fiery halo. She remembered the fire and screamed again.

"Shhhh... Kitty," Jean whispered soothingly. "It's all right. I'm right here."

"Carol?" she asked, still delirious from the nightmare.

Jean winced and put a comforting hand on the top of Shadowcat's head, which was wet with sweat. "Carol's... Kitty... it's me, Jean. You're all right now. It was just a dream."

"But it felt so real," she insisted.

The redhead forced a sad smile. "Just a dream."

"A dream..." Kitty repeated, and abruptly burst into tears. "Oh Jean, I was so scared! Mystique and Magneto came to try to get all of us to join their team and kill mutants and all the humans came and were screaming horrible things at me and then they were hurting me and someone tried to light me on fire and-"

Jean stopped Kitty's rambling with a trembling hand over the girl's lips. "I know," she said softly. "I saw it. You projected your dream to me."

Kitty lowered her head in shame. "I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault, I-"

"It's okay now," Kitty said with an odd gleam in her eyes. Jean began to object, but she cut her off. "Really, like you said it was only a dream. I'm over it now."

"Are you sure?"

"Totally," she replied with a forced smile. She tossed her hair back and giggled. "How silly of me to make you worry. A dream is just that- a dream."

Jean cut her friend a suspicious glance and reluctantly padded over to her own bed. "Good night," she said before slipping under her comforter.

"Good night."

_ A dream is just a dream,_ thought Kitty. _But a nightmare is, like, different, isn't it?_ She chewed on her bottom lip, searching for some answer in the dark. _I'm living a nightmare. When will I wake up?_

_* ~ *_

So when will the X-Men get it together? And what's up with the collar? When will Remy and Rogue mack? All these questions, and more, will be answered in the upcoming chapters. The only thing I must say here is that I'm sorry how anti-climatic the whole Wanda hates Rogue thing was. I guess I built it up to make it seem like there was some big deal. They just don't like each other- or at least Wanda doesn't like her. But will that last? I dunno. Just stayed tuned is all I'm going to say.

Ummmm... review and I'll give you a treat? Good reader!!! Here ya go!!! *tosses treat at reader who reviews*

More updates comin' atcha!


	6. Chapter Five: New Beginnings

**_Shadowed Hearts_**

**Chapter Five: New Beginnings **

_I have artwork for the story! w00t! More is coming eventually, and once I get more space on my site, I will post them ASAP._

Rogue sighed and pulled out her laptop. She signed on to the internet and quickly scanned her inbox, searching through spam and chain letters to find the e-mail she wanted. Towards the top words illuminated her screen like a beacon of light. Despite the author's name, she knew it was her mother, donning yet another disguise. Cloaking true identities were just as important online as in the real world.

_Subject: Preparations_

_Date: 2-18-03 8:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time_

_To: Hello darling. How is our plan coming along? I assume it was rather difficult to persuade Erik to accept you into his pack of fools, but I have complete faith that you have succeeded. That is why I am including further instructions for your mission. I have an excellent plan working in my head, and I know it will all come together._

_ I don't want you to harm Dr. Moreau. In fact, he'll be of great use to us. I want you to charm him, and anyone else you need to in order to get close to him and his work. The Genosha collars, if altered affectively, can be used on humans. Let's just say we're reverting the social stratification ladder to where it should be. We could put those inferior creatures in their place quite easily. I fear that Magneto already has this all planned. That is why you must eliminate him. Slowly but surely build up a layer of trust between the two of you. After this happens, use the plastic pistol I gave to you. Surprise him with a bullet hole in his head, and I will begin to rule under the guise of Magneto for as long as it takes for me to hold the reins and sweep his pathetic minions under the rug. We will rule Genosha together, and use Dr. Moreau and Magneto's high-tech equipment to further expand our territory, until mutants will rule above humans._

_It may take a lot of work, but the fruits of our efforts are worth it, don't you think? Whatever you do, do not let Magneto or the Acolytes know that you still are in contact with me. That would rouse their suspicions even more. Reply in detail of your first day._

_Love,  
M_

_P S How many times do I have to tell you? You need a more secure e-mail server! is not designed for such secret information._

Rogue smirked and clicked the reply button.

_Subject: Re: Preparations_

_To: do babble, "M". The plan sounds simple and effective enough. And as for my first day, it wasn't very exciting. I tried to guilt-trip Mags into letting me stay, and in the end had to agree to become an **Acolyte.** I feel brainless already._

_ I managed to catch some of Dr. Moreau's plans when I met him in the lab. He doesn't seem to be suspicious of me, so I can assume he won't be too much of a problem. You are right to guess that Magneto wants to alter the collars to use on humans. Moreau's almost half way there. The collar you had is different from the many variations on his desk this evening._

_ I have one problem. Do I have to act buddy-buddy with everyone? There's this annoying Cajun lout who keeps hitting on me! If you tell me I can't tell him off, so help me God I'll drop the act and you can come deal with his advances yourself. I've told him about my powers, but he doesn't even care. He says sheets and gloves would solve the problem! The nerve! He's so cocky and perverted I want to strangle him! Can I poison him? I'm sure no one would miss him._

_ Anyway, a briefing is being held tonight about Genosha, and I'll update you on the details after I_

Three knocks sounded on the door. Rogue rolled her eyes and continued typing. "Go away, Gambit, Ah'm busy."

"I'm sorry t' disturb ya, but may I come in?" an unfamiliar Irish-inflected voice asked from behind her door.

She quickly sent the e-mail and shut off the laptop. "Uh, yeah, sorry. Come on in. Ah was just gettin' mah stuff unpacked."

The door opened slowly, and a frail, dark-skinned woman stepped into the room. Her ebony hair framed her face like a dark halo, and her olive eyes sparkled with uncorrupt purity as she spoke softly. "I just wanted t' be the first Acolyte t' welcome ya int' the team. Magneto told me about yuir situation, and I want ya t' know that yuir welcome here." She held out a slender hand. "My name in Anna."

"Rogue," she replied, excepting the hand. "An thank you."

A warm smile spread across Anna's freckle-dusted lips. "Tis no problem, lass. I've noticed that you an Wanda dinna get along very well, so I thought that maybe ya'd like a woman's company, since the team is primarily males. I know it can sometimes get lonely. Besides, yuir a long way from home, an I know that sometimes it's hard. So if need be, ya can always talk t' me. I'm kinda the mother figure here, anyway."

Nostalgia pierced Rogue's heart. Anna's kind words reminded her of home, and although she had just left the boarding house, she still could feel the pain of homesickness. She missed Irene's quiet love. She missed the prided gleam in Mystique's eyes whenever she did something right. She even missed the Brotherhood, even if they sometimes didn't get along. She especially missed the things her family used to do before Mystique and Rogue moved to the boarding house. The simple, normal things that the family enjoyed. Irene and Mystique were the only family she had ever known, and now the thought of being away from them and under the care of Magneto and Anna made her sick. She didn't want Anna to play her mother; she wanted her own mother.

"Ya don't have much t' unpack do ya?" Anna asked, surveying a small duffel bag that was half empty.

"Ah didn't pack t' take a vacation," Rogue responded tightly. "Ah packed t' runaway."

"An what exactly was it that ya were runnin' away from?"

"Home..."

"What in the house were ya runnin' away from?" she tried again.

Rogue mentally groaned. _Great, she must be a counselor, or worse- a shrink! _"Ah guess ah'm tryin' t' run away from mah problems," she lied, trying to sound pathetic. "Tryin' t' get help elsewhere, cause Mystique isn't helpin'. Ah guess Ah'm kinda angry with her. Ah blame her f'r what happened with Carol, an Ah'm even more frustrated that she can't seem t' help. She caused it, an she can't even fix it. O' course, the moment Ah tell her Ah'm leavin' the house f'r help, she flipped. She got even more upset when Ah told her Ah was goin' here." A sliver of truth did escape in her speech. She did slightly blame Mystique, and she had reason to. She was the one who molded her into a murderer, and screamed for her to hold on. Then again, Mystique couldn't control Rogue. She could've let go anytime she wanted to. It was her own fault.

"This Mystique, she's yuir mother? An she made ya hurt this lass?"

"Adoptive," she supplied. "It wasn't supposed to happen like it did... Ah guess Ah blame her because she's the one who told me t' attack, but Ah was the one who attacked her. So, Ah guess there's no one else t' blame but me."

Anna pursed her lips. "Why do you blame anyone? What happened was a great tragedy. Ya took someone's life, but it was an accident, wasn't it? If you truly are sorry- if ya repent f'r yuir sins, then I am sure the girl will one day f'rgive ya, an in turn, so will God. Everyone deserves another chance, right?"

_Oh God,_ _it's Mother fucking Theresa,_ Carol snapped. _Tell her to shut up, because I will never forgive you for what you did to me. She's wrong, you should blame someone. You should blame yourself. You should rot in hell for what you did to me!_

"Don't ya think badly o' me?" Rogue questioned, ignoring Carol's outburst. "Don't ya judge me?"

"I'm a woman of God. I try not t' judge others, as I hope others do not judge me."

"What's a woman o' Gawd doin' with a guy like Magneto?"

Anna's expression darkened slightly. "I usually dinna tell people of that unfortunate circumstances that brought me here, but since it may give ya some perspective, I shall tell you my story, as you have told me yuirs. However, it will have t' wait until we go shopping tomorrow."

"Shoppin'?"

"O' course. We have to make sure yuir properly equipped to stay at Genosha."

_Genosha..._ Rogue thought. _Ah wonder if it's really worth all o' this trouble..._

The lower level of the Xavier Institute was hardly the home that Scott remembered. Though most of the first floor was complete, no one could sleep there with all the constant drilling and hammering. Because of that fact, the adults found impromptu accommodations for the X-Men in places like the Danger Room and the War Room. Though hardly roomy or comfortable, they were quickly furnished to hold the twenty-some students and teachers. Scott knew he shouldn't complain. After all, at least everyone was alive and safe. However, he couldn't possibly think of the cold, metallic sub-chamber as home. It wasn't just the location that made it different. Without Professor X, Evan, and Carol, the whole team seemed incomplete.

He sighed. _We've tried to put everything back together, but there's still missing pieces, and you can't find them when you don't know where to look- or even start. _No matter what anyone said, he blamed himself for what happened. If only he had been there to fight with his team or realized Mystique's plan sooner... Scott shook those thoughts away. What ifs couldn't save them; he had to look to the future.

_Scott?_

Jean's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. _Yeah?_

_ I don't know if you've heard or not, but Storm called a meeting. It's just starting, so you better hurry to the War Room._

_ Sorry, I'll be right there._

The telepathic link was cut. Scott rose from his bed and started slowly for the meeting. _I wonder what Storm wants..._

The War Room was cold and somber when he found a spot next to Jean. "Did I miss anything?" he whispered.

"No, she's been waiting for everyone to get here."

Dark brown eyebrows furrowed together. "Am I the last one?"

"No," Jean said, pointing to Shadowcat, who phased into the room. "Kitty just got back from the hospital."

"Oh," he replied. "How's Carol?"

She shrugged. "That's something you should ask Kitty. I haven't had time to stop by this week."

"Well, I w-"

"Shhhhh..." Jean put a finger to her lips.

Storm cleared her throat. "Well, now that everyone is here, we shall begin." Her deep, soothing voice commanded the attention of her young charges. They turned their eyes to the weather witch without question as she continued.

"I wish to first thank all of you for being so brave in these difficult times," she said. "You all have been a great help to the rebuilding of the institute. Your physical sacrifices and positive attitude have helped to raise these walls. We could not have continued without all your support."

The X-Men clapped gleefully. The sound was deafening, and a smile spread across Ororo's lips. She was glad they still had spirit. It would make her next announcement easier.

"Because of all your contributions, it has been decided that we shall take a vacation-"

Cheers and commotion erupted; Wolverine touched her shoulder. "Storm, are ya sure we should do this? The kids-"

"Need a rest," she assured him.

"And the institute?" he asked.

"I've agreed to watch over it while the workers go about their work," Hank answered.

"Don't ya think you'd freak 'em out a little?"

"And you wouldn't?" he countered with a smile. "Besides, Storm found a spare image-inducer. I intend to use the apparatus as a costume, so to speak. That way, no one will be 'freaked out'. This shall be a retreat for me as well. I shall finally be able to conduct my experiments without any distractions or interruptions."

"Just don't wreck anything."

Storm frowned disapprovingly. "Wolverine..."

"I vonder vhere ve're going," Kurt mused as the adults conversed.

Boom Boom grinned. "I hope it's somewhere sunny and with a beach, like the Bahamas or Cancun. I'm totally sick of this cold weather!"

"Bah," Bobby retorted. "Alaska sounds better."

"I really want to visit San Francisco," Rhaine admitted softly.

"What about you, Scott?" Jean inquired.

"I don't care." _Some vacation..._ he thought. _How can everyone be so excited when nothing will change... they're still gone._

"So where _are_ we going?" Jubilee asked.

"A small island called Genosha," Storm replied.

**Author's Notes:**   
Okay, I need to say this now: _ Updates may be quite sporadic_. However, for the moment, it is out of my control. I have too much to deal with (school, especially newspaper, and work takes up my time- not to mention drama and speech- which I am going to state for squeal!), so I can't say when I'll return to my "regular" updates. I will honestly try to not let these stories collect dust, but I can't promise anything. I am too obsessed with Richard O'Brien's godlyness, in case you couldn't tell by my recent fics.

Also, for those of you who are wondering: Anna is not an original character. She's part OC and part Marvel. She is based on the character Saint Anna from X-Factor (you know the team with U-Go Girl, etc.- which I despise, btw), but I don't know much about her. I came across her while I was looking for a character who could heal. Her appearance and lineage was just so cool, I decided to pick her- a character I didn't know at all. So, I developed a personality that would fit the story (which you'll see in a few chapters- the personality, that is.) I'm sure it's quite out of character from X-Factor's Saint Anna. I don't think she was really religious or a fanatic, and I'm positive she wasn't in love with Magneto.

**I've made a lot of mistakes in my previous chapters (P-2) without the guidance of my beta-er _The Dark Vixen_. I'm attempting to fix these up:**  
_ In the Prologue_, I made the mistake of calling Dr. Eaton the almost identical Dr. Eden. I realized my mistake after accidentally pressing closed captioning during a repeat of Blind Alley.  
_ In Chapter One_, Rogue made a comment about Lance and Pietro fighting a lot. This was a mistake. Pietro, in this universe, was never part of Mystique's team. He was always with his father. I also added Marrow in the mix without much thought; introducing a new character like that may lead readers to think that she has a large role, when in fact, it's a very back-seat role. Compared to Mystique, who will the major supporting character from the BoM, she is an ant. So, don't expect too much of Marrow.

Oh, and if you were wondering, Mystique used her alias Risty Wilde in the e-mail because in the story, Risty is not the purple-haired teenager. If Mystique's main goal was to use Risty to keep tabs of the X-Men through Rogue, what would be the point of having her in this universe? So I decided to use the name instead of another identity (Mallory Brickman comic allusion, for instance). She may use it from time to time in future chapters, and not just the name, but the body.

**Special Thanks to:** Again, _The Dark Vixen,_ for being my unofficial editor and fixing all my silly mistakes. Also for helping me expand the plot into something I'm truly excited about writing. I couldn't have come up with such an awesome story line without her help and her interest in this story! Thanks to my reviewers too, because they always motivate me to keep writing, and sometimes they even give me ideas, like again, _The Dark Vixen._

**Okay, phew, I'm finally done!**


	7. Chapter Six: Confrontations

**Chapter Six: Confrontations**

"What do you think 'bout this one?" Anna inquired, holding up a modest black dress.

"Ah think Ah'll pass," Rogue replied. She surfed through the rack and snatched a purple mesh top. "Now _this_ is more mah style."

John and Remy, having begged to tag along, were going through the lingerie across the isle. Gambit smirked and held up a red, lace teddy. "How 'bout dis one?" he called.

She rolled her eyes and continued her search. "Grow up."

Anna gave her a sympathetic glance. "Those boys never know when to quit." She emptied a few shirts into Rogue's arms. "I think we're done here, don'tcha agree?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Anna."

"Tis no problem lass. Mi casa es su casa, or whatever the Spanish say."

"Kay, what ya think about this one?" John asked. He displayed a black thong. He and Remy laughed hysterically. "What's your bra size mate? Maybe we can pick ya up a matching one."

Rogue ignored the two pigs and began walking to the check out lane. She barely saw the girl before she ran into her. Their clothes went flying everywhere. "Oh, Ah'm so sorry," she said, holding out her hand to help the girl up.

"Oh my God," the tiny brunette breathed. "It's you."

The terror in the stranger's eyes clicked immediately. "Shadowcat?"

Kitty pulled herself up and pointed a shaking finger at Rogue. "You! You're the one that put Carol into a coma! You're that murderer."

Her green eyes widened. "It was an accident," she whispered.

"Accident?" she repeated incredulously. "I'm sure your hands just, like, happened to grab onto Carol and suck every bit of life from her. I'm so sure that you really didn't mean to freaking kill her! That's why you flung her into the ocean- because it was all one big accident."

Gambit and Pyro joined Rogue. "X-Geek, eh?" John asked. He sneered. "What the bloody hell are you doing in Genosha?"

"I should be asking the same of you," Kitty retorted indignantly. "Trying to finish what you started?"

"Don't flatter yoh self, chere," Gambit answered. '"We just out here shoppin."

"Ah don't need y'r help," Rogue hissed. "Go away."

The two boys shook their heads. By now, a crowd had gathered around the four. Both girls picked up their clothing and glared intently into each other's eyes, as if to almost dare either one of them to make a move.

A redhead pushed through the crowd and grabbed Kitty's arm. "Kitty, are you all right?"

"It's her!"

Rogue felt Jean prodding her mind as soon as her green eyes focused on her. Rogue snapped up her mental shields. "Get outta mah mind, bitch."

"You've got some nerve to show your face around here, murderer," she replied. "It's unfortunate you escaped from Area 51. They should have put you in chains like you deserve."

_She's got a point there,_ Carol snorted.

"Look, Jean Grey, Ah don't want any trouble here. Ah was just shoppin until Ghost Girl knocked inta me."

"Ghost Girl?" Kitty scoffed. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"Why are you in Genosha?" Jean asked.

"None of y'r business. What are _you_ doing here?"

"None of your business."

"Come on," Anna interrupted, yanking Rogue into the crowd. "Let us get out o' here. I can tell when we've overstayed our welcome."

"Better watch your back, witch," Kitty called.

"Better make sure Ah don't do worse t' you!" she snarled.

"That was a close call, chere," Gambit said as the group climbed into the BMW. "Why do dey hate you so much?"

"Carol," she snapped, massaging her temples. "Just drop it."

"I do wonder what they are doing here," Anna said finally. "It can't be a coincidence. What if they know what we plan t' do?"

"They're too stupid to figure that out," Pyro replied.

Rogue snorted. "Comin' from you that's a small comfort."

"Hey!"

The four rode in silence to the base, and were greeted by Magneto in the garage. "How was your trip into town?" he inquired with a smile.

"Awful," Anna answered. She popped the trunk and climbed out. Placing a small kiss on his cheek, she added, "We had a run in with the X-Men."

"What!"

Rogue balanced several bags in her hands. Gambit shut the trunk when she was done, picking up his own bag. "Yeah, they're all here for Lawd knows what reason."

"I'll have to make a note of that. Come inside. Wanda's prepared dinner for us."

"Not again!" John whined. "She's a worse cook than Anna!"

"You'd better watch it!" Anna cried.

"Hey, chere," Gambit whispered in Rogue's ear. She pulled away, disgust written all over her face. "Remy got ya a present to lighten yoh day."

She snatched the bag from his hand. "How kind," she replied sarcastically, batting her eyes. She reached her room and turned around. "Well? Are ya gonna stop followin' me?"

"O' course, mon ami," he replied with a grin. "Jus' tell Remy what ya t'ink, oui?"

She stepped in and slammed the door in his face. Throwing the bags on the bed, she began hanging the clothing in her closet. Remy's bag caught her eyes. She opened it and pulled out the same red teddy he had shown her at the mall. _Sick bastard,_ she thought and threw it to the floor.


	8. Chapter Seven: Preparations

**Chapter Seven: Preparations**

To:  
From:  
Subject: Details?

Rogue,

How are you, dear? I've missed you terribly. The house is definitely not the same without you. Lance and Toad are arguing as usual. Blob's eaten all the food, and Marrow keeps putting bones through the walls. Same as usual, but still different. I recently heard a rumor that the X-Men are in Genosha for vacation. I don't know if it's true, but that's what I heard. How is everything going up there? I hope you've found out more about the collar. Please write me back ASAP. I'm anxious to hear the news.

Love,  
M

To:  
From:  
Subject: Re: Details?

M,

I'm doing fine despite being harassed relentlessly by a certain Cajun lout. The house here is pretty quiet. I haven't been able to sneak down to the lab, so I regret to inform you that I have no more information presently. I will definitely get it back to you ASAP. I've met a woman named Anna here. She's pretty nice, but a little too matronly for my taste. A former nun. Irony at its best. Yes, the X-Men are here. I had an unfortunate run in with Shadowcat and Jean Grey today. I can't make them understand that it was just an accident. But I suppose I understand the accusations. Well, dinner's getting cold so I better go before someone gets suspicious.

Love,  
Rogue

She sent the e-mail and closed her laptop just in time to hear three knocks on her door. "Come in," she called.

Anna stepped in. "Not hungry, lass?" she asked.

"Not really."

"Is it those girls?" Anna took a seat next to Rogue on the bed. "Look, Rogue, ya made a mistake. All human beings sin. But unlike those girls, God is forgiving. If it was truly an accident like you said, God will forgive. And his opinion is the only one that truly matters. God gave us these powers for a reason, and he knows that we have free will to use them how we see fit."

"Thanks, but God has given up on me for a long time," she replied sadly. "He made me hurt people. He made me a mutant and he made human beings who hate and fear me."

Anna sighed. "You've given up on yuirself. God is always there for you."

Rogue snorted in disbelief.

"I'll prove it ta ya," she said firmly. "Even so, I promised ya my story, dinna I? I used to be a missionary in my birth place of Brazil. I went back after I became a nun. I helped sick children there, like I'd done before in Ireland. Early on in my years I discovered I could heal people. I thought it was a miracle. The villagers, however, thought it was witchcraft. They attempted to burn me at the stake like Joan of Arc before me."

"That's awful!" Rogue gasped.

"Luckily, Magnus found me and we escaped. I still have the scars from the fateful day." She pulled up her pant leg and Rogue stared at the red marks wound around her dainty ankle. "He convinced me that I had a gift, not a burden, and that humans could not understand. He told me we were the chosen people and that we must purify the world like Noah's arc. I've been with him ever since. I found God in Magneto. He forgave me when I killed the villagers. And God forgave my human anger, too. I realized that the only way to make humans understand is through force and through surpassing them on every level."

Rogue blinked. She was absolutely astonished. She didn't know what to say.

_What a fucked up bitch._

For once, she actually agreed with Carol. Rogue couldn't believe how twisted Magneto had made her. She used to be a good person, then ever since the villager's betrayal, she became as delusional as any of Magneto's followers.

"So, you see, Rogue, I'm not entirely a stranger to yuir dilemma. It had to be done. She opposed your view." She smiled and stood up. Rogue just stared. "Well, if you do get hungry, we saved plenty o' food f'r ya. So don't be shy to grab a late night snack."

Magneto flipped through various slides wordlessly. Rogue watched each Holocaust picture dispassionately. Finally the slide-show ended and he turned on the lights. "In Auschwitz it was said that work makes you free," he intoned, his usual regal attitude shining through. "Genosha was modern day concentration camp for mutants. Mutants were stripped of their powers by special collars and ordered to work excruciating hours with the promise that one day work would lead them to freedom.

Anna, who stood dangerously close to him during the speech, smiled brightly at Dr. Moreau. "The wonderful Dr. Moreau has been working around the clock with us ta alter the collar to amplify instead of dampen mutant powers an as a tracking device for humans who will be laboring here in Genosha."

Magneto squeezed her hand. The screen filled with pictures of several different Genoshian collars. "We will now use human convicts as workers to help build our base into a great capitol as well as furnish our weaponry for our cause, while we work on the collars to strengthen our mutant powers. After this is done, we shall be ready to enter the war against humans. In fact, our army is already created: it is the mutant prisoners who will now run Genosha."

Wanda leaned back in her chair and sneered. "Well, aren't people going to catch on to us, especially since the X-Geeks are hanging out around here?"

"An excellent question, dear," he replied. Rogue made a face. Gambit grinned. "The X-Men are here on a supposed vacation. The less we see of them the better. And as for the rest of America, we are simply an iron mine."

Pietro laughed. "Excellent work, Father."

"Excellent work, Father," Gambit mimicked under his breath. Rogue chuckled.

"Any other questions?"

"Yeah, what's dese power amplifyin' collars all 'bout?" Gambit asked.

Dr. Moreau cleared his throat. "Well, we have been relatively unsuccessful as of late at creating this collar, so we're still working on it. But hopefully I can reverse the mechanisms and produce an effect similiar to that of the chamber on Asteroid M."

"How much more powerful are we talkin' about?" Sabertooth growled, obviously engaged at the idea of the collar's amplifying ability.

"We hope to achieve complete 100 amplification," he replied. "And in addition, a power imitating collar."

Rogue stared at Dr. Moreau in disbelief. _One hundred percent amplification? No wonder why Mystique is so enthralled with this collar. Ah mean, it's not so hard to believe. If Dr. Trask and Area 51 could produce a complete power dampenin', then why wouldn't reversing it cause a complete amplification? And as for the power imitator, it mimics powers the way Momma can imitate skin. If she got her hands on it she could pretend to be whoever she wanted to be without a give away. She would be unstoppable. Anyone would be with that kind of power. _She gazed at the collar once more, wondering how such a little thing could hold such power.

"I don't trust that new girl," Dr. Moreau finally said after a long hour of silent work on the collar. Magneto looked up and gave his colleague a quizzical glance. He set the collar down, frustrated and sighed. "Look, I know you wouldn't let just anyone in on this, but... she really seems sinister, and it's not just all her goth make-up."

Erik nodded slowly. "I have every right to believe Mystique sent her here to spy on us."

"Then why would you keep her here?" he asked, alarmed.

Magneto chuckled and levitated a collar in the air, studying it before jotting down a few notes. "You know, we should rig this collar so that only other mutants can use the power imitator, so no Average Joes come across it and think they have a chance against us mutants."

"Are you going to answer the question?" Dr. Moreau asked impatiently.

Leaning back on his leather chair, Magneto considered the man in front of him. "It's simple, doctor. I want her to know what she can't ever achieve. Mystique is a lowly woman always bent on surpassing me. I just want to remind her that she never will touch the empire I have created. Furthermore, Rogue has her uses. I'm a believer that everything has its price. You worked on the collar originally for Area 51 and Genosha to enslave mutants. But once I gave you an offer you couldn't refuse, you rallied to our cause." He paused and dropped the collar into his lap. He wrapped it around his fingers in deep thought. Then it hit him. He smiled and held up the collar. "And this, Dr. Moreau, is her price."

"The collar?"

"The one from Area 51 will only bring her bad memories, and the other one is exactly what her powers allow her to do. I'm thinking of a more permanent solution to her powers." Obviously Magneto was pleased with himself. "If we give her the collar to control her powers she won't have to worry anymore about not touching someone. She won't even have to worry about Carol."

Dr. Moreau had to admit it was a genius plan. "Yes, and we both know how interested Gambit is in her. That that might change her opinion of him, knowing that she actually could do the things he suggests. That might be the key to turning her against this Mystique character."

"We'll buy her secrecy and trust. And, God help me, I think the collar's finally complete."


	9. Chapter Eight: Shifting Gears

**Chapter Eight: Shifting Gears**

The hall was dimly lit as Rogue took careful steps into the room, hugging her body against the wall. Something snapped, and she wheeled around to face the source of the noise. Apparently despite her calculated stealth someone had her right where they wanted her. Not able to see the stranger she called out into the darkness. "Who's there?"

Footsteps sounded all around. She looked in every direction, but could not see past the small space she was circled into. "Who's there?" she asked again, her voice sharp. It cut into the blackness like a sharp razorblade, but there was still no answer.

It moved. The stranger stepped forward; the light illuminated a tall blonde who smiled sadistically. "Good morning, Rogue. Training, I see."

She couldn't believe her eyes. "Carol?"

She nodded, the grin spreading even more frightening upon her face. "I'm glad we can finally have this talk- face to face- just you and me. I'm glad we'll have some time to sort things out."

"Carol, Ah didn't mean- it was an accident."

"An accident..." she repeated, the phrase dripping like honey from a kitchen knife. Sweet, with a definite edge.

"An accident. Carol, if Ah could take it back Ah never would have put mah hands on you."

Her blue eyes narrowed. "But you did lay your hands on me..." she hissed. "And now it's about damn time I get to lay my hands on you!"

The wind flew past Rogue's face as the girl took flight. Tentatively, she hovered up to Carol's level, not wanting this confrontation, but knowing that it had to come sometime. She was just so happy that the girl woke up from her coma. However, she was frightened that she might not be able to take on Carol, even with her powers.

In one swift motion Carol grabbed Rogue and swung her into a pile of crates. Each box broke and each splinter of wood pierced her skin. The back of her head collided with the wall and she realized that despite her invulnerability it hurt like hell. Barely even having time to breathe, Carol was upon her again. Rogue shoved her off roughly, sending her into the opposite wall.

"Nice to see you've mastered _my_ powers," she sneered. "Mastered everything about me, except of course, that one little detail: being me."

"Havin' you in mah head has not been a breeze," Rogue spat through gritted teeth, blocking a punch.

She swung at Rogue again, this time connecting fist to cheekbone. Carol grabbed her bare skin and smiled. "But, see, you won't have my powers any longer." Suddenly, the transfer of power reversed and Rogue felt the sickening feeling of Carol sucking the prowess from her. "I've been waiting for the moment that I take from you everything you stole from me."

Another blow hit Rogue, and, without Carol's powers, she felt the weight of the attack. She distinctly felt two of her ribs snapping like matchsticks. "Wha- how is that possible?" she gasped.

Carol pointed to the silver chain around her neck smugly. "It's Magneto's new invention. It allows me to steal your powers like you stole mine."

Rogue's heart dropped to her stomach. "How'd you get a hold of it?"

"You really didn't think Magneto wanted you to benefit from separating us?" She laughed. "He kindly gave me the power for revenge. And without my powers, he doesn't need you anymore." Carol's right arm snaked around Rogue's neck. Rogue tried to struggle, but she was too weak against her opponent. "So allow me to bid you farewell..."

"Computer!" a voice barked. "Terminate current application."

Carol dropped like a limp rag doll. Rogue coughed, drinking the air greedily that she had been denied. Her hands traveled down to the spot that Carol had hit her. The ribs were amazingly intact, but still sore.

"It's my father's new training application," Wanda explained. "It feeds from our fears. I must have left the program on when you came down here to train."

"Thank you," Rogue sighed gratefully.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I didn't want to have you murdered."

"Funny, but on any other day I doubt you'd be against that."

Wanda smiled. "Huh- that may be so."

"Still hate me?" Rogue inquired.

"Yep."

"I'll let you borrow _The Vampire Lestat,_" she bargained.

"Nice try, but you can't buy my friendship like everyone else you know."

"Mornin', chere," Gambit greeted her as she passed him in the hallway. Rogue was still in sorry shape from her training session earlier, and it must have shown, because he added, "Doin' okay?"

She rubbed her left side gingerly. "Just almost got mah ass handed to me in the training room, that's all."

"Wanna play some basketball?"

"Eh... I'm not so sure Ah'm up t' it."

"Already admittin' t' defeat?" he questioned smugly.

She placed her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?"

He grinned. "Well, me an' Colossus be a force t' be reckoned with."

"Ah'm sure Ah could take both of you single-handedly," she shot back.

"Brave, chere, brave."

"Well, are you gonna accept mah challenge or not?"

Remy opened the door to the backyard. "After you, mon petite."

Peter was waiting in boredom for the two, dribbling the ball back and forth. "Hey, just you two?"

"Pyro is busy playin' wit' matches, Pietro is way too fast t' play fair, an' you know how fond Wanda is of me," he replied with a shrug. "Roguey says she'll take on both o' us."

"Pretty bold."

"Well, that just shows how bad y'all will get y'r asses handed t' ya," she said with a sly smile. "Ah'm a lot more athletic than anybody gives me credit f'r."

Gambit scanned her body. "Well, Remy coulda told ya wit' a body like dat you'd have t' be at the gym a lot."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Pervert."

"If we win, you owe Gambit a date," he said with a smile.

Colossus rolled his eyes and passed the ball to Remy, who shot it in the basket. "That's one to zero."

Rogue's brows furrowed into one. "Hey! That's not fair! Ah wasn't even ready!"

He shrugged and passed the ball to her. She bounced it back. "You'll just have to keep up."

Immediately Rogue was in front of Gambit, blocking any chance of Peter passing the ball. That suited him fine, for Colossus dribbled up to the basket and got ready to shoot. Rogue jumped in front of him quickly and knocked the ball out of the path.

"That sure was a pretty high jump, chere," Gambit commented, skeptical that she made it without using her powers.

"Well they say white boys can't jump, not white girls," she replied with a shrug. She shot in a perfect three-pointer before either boys lifted a finger in protest.

"Guess it's our ball," Gambit said, bouncing the ball to her. She bounced it back.

Colossus stood in front of the hoop, but Rogue intercepted the ball. Gambit was there in a flash and knocked the ball out of her hands. He shot it in the basket, making a delicious swoosh.

"That was pretty fast for a mutant even," she accused.

Remy just shrugged. "Not my superpower, chere."

Rogue dribbled the ball past him and jumped far over Colossus's head to slam dunk it into place. By this time all three teammates agreed that it was anything goes. Colossus suited up into his organic metal form and Gambit charged up his hands menacingly. Gambit blocked Rogue's path and she not so accidentally knocked him out of the way- even out of the court. She tried the same to Colossus, but his strength overpowered her own, and he grabbed possession of the ball quick enough to alley-oop it into the basket.

"Yoh ball, chere," he said, catching her eyes. She blinked, averting her gaze, but looked again, not able to see past his piercing gaze. She dribbled the ball in the same position, dumbly. "Thanks." She nodded, watching him sink the ball into the hoop.

"Hey!" she shouted once the charm wore off.

Colossus slam-dunked the ball into the basket. Rogue quickly grabbed it and flew up to the basket, neatly depositing the ball.

Remy grabbed it and shot in a three-pointer. The game quickly went back and forth as a display of powers until Colossus and Gambit magically bagged point number 15. They high-fived while Rogue silently stewed on the court. Gambit shot her a Cheshire grin. "Looks like we goin' on a date, petite."

She didn't answer and flounced inside of the house. "Guess I'll pick you up at six!" he called after her.

Peter shook his head. "She really doesn't like you, comrade."

He shrugged. "Give it time. She'll warm up t' me like lobster butter."

"I'm not so sure of that."

"Has Remy ever struck out wit de ladies?"

"Well..."

Gambit glared at his friend. "Wanda doesn't count. She's a lesbian."

Rogue lay in her bed, head resting on her palms and her elbows resting on the mattress, reading her latest vampire novel when a knock sounded on the door. "Come in," she beckoned. Magneto stood at the door smiling strangely. She looked up at him, surprised. "What's up?"

He laid a silver collar on her bed. "I have a present for you, my dear."

She backed away from it like it was going to bite her. "Thanks but no thanks," she said. "That thing only brings back bad memories."

He put a hand on her shoulder to reaffirm her. "It's not that collar," he explained. "It's the new one Dr. Moreau and I just finished. I don't know if it will control Carol Danvers, but I do know it will keep your powers in check, at least your original one." He paused. "Do you want to try it on?"

"Sure," she said with a weak smile and a lump in her throat.

Fastening it gently around her neck, he looked down at her. She felt sick suddenly, and then the feeling was replaced with so much adrenaline she thought her heart was going to explode. "You're the second to wear this," he said, pointing to his own neck, "though it didn't do me very much good. I relatively have complete control of my powers already. You, dear, I believe have only tapped into a fifth of your potential."

Suffering a huge head rush, Rogue felt faint. She sucked in a huge breath. "Ah don't feel so good," she whispered.

"Try to think about someone you've absorbed," he encouraged.

Magneto. Suddenly, she remember everything about him and before she knew it, paperclips were levitating off her desk. She shot Magneto a confused look. "Are you doin' that?"

He shook his head. "No. I believe you are."

She stared at her gloved hands in amazement. The paperclips rotated to form a circle, then a star. She let them drop, then raised the metal chair by her bed. She blinked, letting Magneto go and it fall with a loud clang. Her wide green eyes met Magneto's cool blue ones. "Ah don't know how Ah just did that."

"Try someone else," he encouraged, pleased to see that the collar had its expected affect.

Mystique. She remembered her foster mother's cool blue skin and the cat eyes that crinkled when she laughed. She remembered her teenage persona, Risty Wilde, who she used to spy on the X-Men. Before her eyes, her skin contorted into her shape. Magneto watched in amusement as she assumed several identities ranging from Scott Summers to Pyro.

"Whoa," she breathed, changing back into her normal self. She felt her face timidly to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"I was expecting something like that," he chuckled. "Why don't you go test it out some more?" he suggested, walking towards the door.

She nodded. "Thanks," she replied, not sure what else to say. He nodded in return and stalked off. Rogue pulled off her gloves and thought for a moment. Remy chose that opportunity to poke his head in. "Ready to go?"

"Ya were actually serious?" she questioned. He nodded. "Well, no, then. Give me a minute to change."

He shut the door, but left it open a tiny crack to peer at Rogue slip out of her shirt and jeans and into a black cocktail dress. His eyes widened at the sight of her in lacy black underwear. She opened the door to find him oogling at her hourglass figure. She adjusted herself with a smile. He grinned back goofily. Biting her lip, not actually believing she was going to do something so sickening, but wanting to know what it felt like and neurotically and especially what it felt like with him, she leaned in and placed her lips against his.

"Oomph!" he gasped, surprised, trying to pull away. Rogue wrapped her arms around him to hold him into place. Nothing happened. Then, she concentrated on absorbing him. Slowly, his thoughts and powers began to siphon into her head. She broke the kiss abruptly.

"What de hell-" he protested, then saw that her eyes were glowing black and red.

She giggled, something he had never heard her do before and replied, "Thanks for the compliment, Gambit."

He blushed. "But what-"

She placed a bare finger on his lips. "Shh... don't say nothin'." She blinked and the cat eyes were gone.

Gambit followed her silently. She turned around. "Where are we going?"

"On my bike t' de bistro downtown," he said with a smile.

"After you, then," she said, shoving him to the front.

He smiled a smile of humungous proportions. "Sure thing, petite."

And there you have it folks: the romance begins!


	10. Chapter Nine: Complications

**Chapter Nine: Complications **

"You have no new mail," the computer said in its mechanized way as Raven Darkholme scrolled through her inbox. Rogue hadn't written her in several days, and she was very worried about her daughter. Had Magneto caught on to their plan despite their cautions? Or perhaps Rogue felt discouraged and gave up...

She opened up a new message and quickly asked, "Is everything going okay there?". She sent it quickly and without ceremony.

"Yo boss lady!" Toad yelled from the kitchen. "What are we havin' for dinner?"

Groaning, Mystique realized that she still had to baby-sit the cretin until Rogue lined their pieces in the right order. Not wanting to cook, she picked up the phone and ordered five pizzas, certain that Blob would eat at least three of them. "Pizza!" she called after hanging up.

"All right!" Lance cried. "My favorite!"

The phone rang suddenly and Mystique turned over to grab the receiver from it's cradle. "Hello, Darkholme residence," she said coolly into the speaker.

Their was a pause until the speaker finally asked, "Raven, is that you?"

"Irene?" she breathed incredulously. "How long has it been?"

"Too long, my dear," she responded sadly

A twinge of guilt socked Raven in the gut. It was partly her fault, given the fact that ever since she began to work with Rogue on their plan she never made any time for Irene Adler anymore. She used to be an intricate part of the family. Years passed, however, and the two women began to float away from each other. Though the precognitive knew all regardless, it must have hurt her feelings to stumble upon visions about a plan that she barely had any hand in. However, it wasn't as though Irene had any use to Rogue or Mystique besides her cryptic visions.

"I'm calling about Rogue."

"Rogue?" she repeated, alarmed. "Is she okay?" Magneto wouldn't dare touch her daughter... would he?

"Calm down," Irene instructed, detached. She was always so collected and cold with Mystique. Their conversations were very unnerving to the shape-shifter. "It's not for certain, as I see many pathways."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, probabilities and all of that bullshit I already know... why don't you stop beating around the bush and tell me what you saw?"

"Well you must promise me to not overreact," she tested.

"I can't promise you anything and you know that." She coiled her finger around the phone's cord impatiently.

"Well, as a direct result of your plan going accordingly, Rogue... will die."

"What!"

"Or," she continued, ignoring the outburst, "if another path is chosen... you will die."

Mystique couldn't be hearing things right. Magneto was the only one dying from their plan. When had it been switched around? "You're certain?" she asked after several minutes of gathering her thoughts.

"I can never be certain, my dear."

It was that precise fact that always frustrated Mystique. Half of the time Irene's visions never came to pass. The other half... they did, and she never expected the events to be true. You could never ignore one of her visions, and yet you could never really take them seriously. She gritted her teeth in annoyance and responded, "Ugh, then what good are you?"

She regretted the words, truthful though they were, immediately. "'Reney, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

Irene knew when to bite back. "And what good are you, my dear shape-shifter, when you can't even impersonate someone without your daughter's aid?" she responded just as icily.

_Always getting the last word... _she thought angrily. "Are you trying to call me a murderer?" she snarled. "Are you accusing me of knowingly sending my own- _my_ own, Destiny, because I'm the one who adopted her- child to her death?"

"Then why don't you call the whole thing off?" she suggested. "Either path is a lose-lose situation. Either way I at least end up losing either one of my most cherished family."

Mystique heaved a large sigh. "You don't understand. I can't just give up now. Not after Rogue and I have gone so far. Soon enough we'll have Magnus and his base and our whole dream with come into fruition."

"Soon enough either one of you will be dead."

"Says a woman with only a hunch!"

Irene couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Remember when I warned you about Rogue's absorption of Carol? Hadn't you said then that if you could take it back you would? Now is your chance to take something back before someone gets hurt."

"Some one _has_ to get hurt. It's just the way terrorism goes. Don't become Rosa Parks. You're smarter than that."

"So that's how cold and calculated you've become?" Irene asked in disbelief. "I thought somewhere inside of you was a human heart that I could love. I guess I was wrong, because you'll risk your own and, more importantly, your daughter's life for the sake of mutant kind's salvation."

"She hung up!" Mystique growled and threw the phone into the nearest wall.

"Table for two, Mr. LeBeau," the host said with a smile, seating the two mutants underneath a large, crystal chandelier. Gambit pulled out a chair that Rogue squeezed into before taking his own seat. He sat down the napkins and silverware. "Your server, John, will be right with you."

"This is nice," Rogue appraised with a grin. "Ah didn't think ya had it in ya, Swamp Rat."

He smiled slyly in reply. "Comin' from a Mississippi River rat, I hardly take it as an insult."

"Touché," she replied, sipping her water.

"Call it like I see it," he explained with a shrug. Scanning the menu he asked, "What you gonna have, chere?"

"Cheese tortellini sounds good."

"Boring," he taunted with a cocky grin. "T'ink I'll have the Cajun shrimp scampi. Lil' moh flavor in dat one."

"Oh please, that is so lame. Put a few sprinkles on shrimp an then ya call it 'Cajun'. Mine is a little more dignified. And it doesn't have to be dressed up with some lame seasonin' to make it good." She stopped herself from saying anymore. "Oh, Jesus, here we are, arguin' 'bout God damned food like it's some contest. Everyone has their own taste."

"'Less it's you, cause you ain't got no taste," he countered.

She threw a napkin at him. "Remember, y'r makin' me go on this date. Ah can just leave any time Ah want. So you bettah behave."

"You folks ready to order?" John asked.

The two looked up and broke into laughter. "Pyro, dis where you work?" Remy asked.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, surprised. "What are you two doin' here?"

"Ah thought Magneto paid well enough," Rogue said.

Pyro shrugged. "Well, not good enough to pay off my Jaguar payments. I'm working double now."

She rolled her eyes. "Over a stupid car. Men."

"Dat's not just a car!" Remy objected.

"What do you guys want?" he repeated, impatiently. "I've got lots of tables to serve. Some time today would be nice."

"You talk dat way t' all your customers, Monsieur? We'll have a bottle of de house Merlot an' an order of cheese tortellini an' an order of Cajun shrimp scampi."

"You both are going to get me fired," John mumbled, taking their menus.

"The apron looks good on ya!" Rogue called as he walked away.

"Dat dress looks good on _you_," Gambit purred, his eyes roaming over her barely there outfit.

She looked down and blushed, wishing she had put something more sensible on. She felt practically naked. "Well, Ah do try to impress."

"You wanna tell me what went on b'fore we got here?" he questioned.

"Oh, that?" She played with the metal chain around her neck. "Just somethin' Magneto gave me."

"So he's done with the collar?"

She nodded. "It made me feel a lil' ill at first, but after Ah put it on Ah had every say in what mah powers did. Ah can call on previous people Ah've absorbed, an Ah can absorb people only when Ah _want_ to. It's pretty liberatin'."

"So that means Carol's outta yoh head, too?"

"Ah don't really know," she answered truthfully. "Hasn't bothered me all day since the incident in the trainin' room."

John returned with a bottle of wine and poured the couple two glasses. "Your food should be ready in about twenty minutes."

Rogue took a sip of her wine and observed Gambit slowly. As much as she hated to admit it, he was definitely handsome. Perhaps that was why she had the awful urge to kiss him earlier. He was tall and muscular with longish brown hair that shadowed his cat eyes. Those eyes were the most striking feature about him. She remembered what he looked like the first time they met at school. He had brown contacts on then. Tonight was a much better improvement. However, he did reek of cigarettes, and she abhorred cigarettes. Smoking was unhealthy and annoying. She wondered if his mouth tasted like them. She never had a cigarette. She'd never kissed anyone like that, either. Did she want to?

"Ain't you Mystique's daughter?"

She blinked and met his eyes. "Yeah. Are you tryin' t' tell me that Ah'm not trustworthy or somethin'?"

"Jumpin' t' conclusions, are we, chere?" He smiled. "Remy was just curious, dat's all."

"Livin' with Magneto's a lot better than livin' in _that_ house," she mused, sipping some more wine.

"Porquoi?"

She snorted. "Well f'r one thang, Ah had t' live with the Brotherhood. Enough said."

"Why'd you leave?"

She drained the rest of the glass. "She kicked me out cause Ah blamed her f'r Carol bein' in mah mind. She's very loyal. She pretty much disowned me then and there."

"Don' sound like a pleasant family. Remy can relate." He poured more wine into her glass. "There ya go, chere."

"Tryin' t' get me drunk?" She didn't care, actually. Some part of her would be happy if Gambit decided to go to bed with her- sober or not sober. It was such a confusing feeling. She was so attracted to a man that absolutely disgusted her. He was so cocky and arrogant and slimy and... gorgeous. And a little intimidating. Remy more than his share of women. How could she stack up to all the girls he'd been with? Rogue was absolutely inexperienced and, up until that day, was not even attainable. Perhaps now that the chase was called off he was less dazzled with the prize.

Gambit chose to focus on the previous topic. "Mon pere- well, he's not even my papa, he helped me escape the police when I stole food one day and adopted me ever since- he's 'bout the same 'bout loyalty. Our family is part o' de t'ieves guild, an' it's pretty tight-knit. Once Remy dated a girl, Belladonna, from de rival guild, de assassin's guild, an 'bout had my head chopped off. We were supposed t' bring peace t' the guild me an' her- but Magneto found me an offered t' use my abilities foh a hefty price. Ain't been back home since."

_Belladonna..._ she thought with envy. Even more, he said he dated her, but he never said if he was in love with her or whether they had broken up. Besides, just the thought of someone else touching him first made her itch. After all, Gambit was the first boy to touch her since Cody. She gave that away to some slime ball who was probably still fucking that girl! And really-

_Hold up, there, Sparky,_ Carol interrupted her racing thoughts. _You're getting a little carried away here._

_ Why do you care?_ Rogue asked, massaging her temples. _And furthermore, why are ya even in mah head? This collar's supposed t' make ya go away._

_ Afraid not, sweetheart. I'm right on time. You can't get rid of me._

_ Point?_

_ Not that I care about you and Romeo, but you're being a conniving bitch. And jumping to far too many conclusions. You're over-analyzing everything, and that's no way to get a man._

_ And Ah suppose you know all about that?_

_ They don't call me Miss Marvel for nothing._

Rogue felt like she was going to vomit.

"You okay, Roguey?"

"_Rogue_," she corrected. "Just thinkin'."

"Ya jealous?"

She snorted. "Fat chance. Ah could talk all about mah old boyfriends, but Ah'll save mahself the trouble and you the worry." If she only had any boyfriends in her lifetime.

The food arrived, just in time to break the tension, and Rogue was grateful for that. She dug into her tortellini almost immediately to have the excuse not to speak. She already made a fool of herself and Carol was bent on adding more humiliation.

_What, are you jealous that I have more skills than little ol' Roguey? _Carol taunted.

_Rogue. And you know what? Ah'd prefer not to be an uber slut like you. Ah'd rather have some dignity left._

_ Harsh words from a virgin._

"Food good?"

She looked up and smiled, taking a sip of wine. "Yeah. Really good."

He popped a shrimp into his mouth. "Mine too." His brow furrowed in concern. "Did I say somet'ing t' upset you?"

"Oh, no, it's just... Carol." She smiled apologetically.

The two ate in silence the rest of the night.

Rogue collapsed on her bed, ready to call it a night even though it was only nine o'clock. Of course, being an insomniac made the night so early. Usually memories from people who she absorbed kept her awake. Of course, now she was sure that her collar would keep that under control. Except for Carol, that is.

Sighing, she pulled on a tee shirt and matching pajama bottoms. There was a knock on the door. "Yes?"

Gambit poked his head into the doorway. "Hey. Me and John gonna play some pool. Ya wanna join us?"

She sat on the edge of her bed demurely. "You know... Ah don't really know. Ah'm kinda tired."

"Well den I'll let you go t' sleep." He towered over her with a sly grin. "Just wanted t' t'ank you foh such a wonderful night."

Suddenly he was a little too close for comfort. She could smell the aftershave and cologne on his skin. He was so close to her, but yet, held out like a tease and smiled. She closed her eyes expectantly, hoping he wouldn't find her too eager or too easy. Gambit, who wasn't one to disappoint, delivered a kiss on her full lips. He parted his lips to explore beyond the hedge of their teeth, which caught Rogue off-guard. She'd never experienced anything like it before, and she gasped as he placed him warm hands on the swell of her hips.

He recaptured her lips hungrily, his warm hands caressing the soft skin under her tee shirt. She shivered at the touch, molten lava underneath his fingertips. It felt so strange, yet so wonderful to be touched by Gambit. His hands traveled further up and his lips wandered to her ivory neck. Alarmed by this new sensation, she pulled away quickly.

"What's wrong-"

"Good night, Remy," she said between heavy breaths.

He shot her a concerned look. "G'night, chere."

Just like that he was gone. Part of Rogue was relieved, the other part disappointed. She didn't want to move that fast. She kissed him even before the date started. If that wasn't sleazy, she didn't know what was. _He's got you right where you want him, _she thought angrily. _Maybe on y'r second date you can just fuck him._

_ You're just excited because you've never experienced it before, _Carol observed. _You wouldn't move so fast if you weren't afraid that it will be gone and you'll miss your chance._

_ Ah'm not a slut like you, okay?_

_ Please. You're eager as a beaver to have sex with Gambit and we both know it. The only thing you've ever come close to my memories._

Rogue blushed, partly embarrassed that she remembered them and partly embarrassed that she had enjoyed them. Carol used to torture her with those memories, knowing that she would never ever have the chances she had. Carol knew how much those memories bothered her. Cody's fantasies with her, Mystique's various lovers, Jean and Scott- they all teased her with their memories. She tried to ignore them, but the images kept growing worse. She savored them knowing that she would never experience those acts. Yet now because of Magneto she could. The man she was sent to kill had given her a key to happiness. Why had he shown compassion for Rogue? One thing was for sure, though. Her assignment was to become a little difficult. How could she kill a man whose gift was so generous?


	11. Chapter Ten: Breaking the Looking Glass

**Chapter Ten: Breaking the Looking Glass**

My art is finally up! Check it out: Pryde didn't know what to make of her run-in with Rogue the other day. Part of her wanted to rip the bitch to shreds; the other part couldn't help but feel sympathy. Perhaps it really was a mistake... perhaps her objections had been true... She shook the thoughts away. No, it didn't change the situation either way. Carol Danvers was stuck in Bayville Memorial Hospital while the X-Men vacationed in Genosha.

_ We did need a break,_ she thought, _but Carol, Evan, and the professor should be here to share the experience. It's just not the same without them. _The thought sunk her hopes even further. _Will we ever get them back?_

"What's up, Kitty Cat?" Boom Boom inquired, sipping a Diet Coke. She was dressed in a hot pink bikini and toted a beach towel in the nook of her arm. "We're all going swimming. Want to come?"

She sighed. "Not right now, Tabitha."

"You all right?" She felt her forehead mockingly. "For being a feline you sure do love the water."

"I'll be out there later," she replied, slowly getting up from the barstool. She had to discuss her concerns with an adult. Perhaps Storm would find a way to help. After all, she and Jean kept the sighting secret. What were the Brotherhood up to in Genosha?

Rapping softly on the door, Kitty let herself in to the older woman's room. She sat on her bed, reading a book about gardening. "Um, Storm, can I, like, talk to you for a second?"

She looked up and bookmarked the page, discarding the book. "What's wrong, Katherine?"

Kitty shifted uncomfortably under the weather witch's gaze. "Well, um... Jean and I, when we went to the mall, um... we ran into Rogue."

"The Brotherhood is here?" she asked, alarmed.

"Not quite." She sighed, searching for the words. "The Acolytes were with her."

"Have they teamed up?" Storm toyed with the thought. "No. Mystique would never bow down to Magneto. Rogue must be with Magneto's group then. But what are they doing here?"

"I, uh, did some searching on my computer, and, like, well... it said that Magneto has been granted control of Genosha to use as an iron mine."

She let the idea sink in before responding. "I was afraid of this."

"Afraid of what?"

She rose from the mattress. "Magneto is using this country as his base to launch the war against humans."

"What should we do?"

"I'm afraid we'll have to assemble the best we can and uncover the secrets of this place to stop Magneto."

"So what are we doing here again?" Pietro asked, bored.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever listen?" she snarled. "We're breaking into the Genoshian government office to burn all the records and destroy any evidence of what this country used to be and what it will become."

"Why'd he need all of us to go?" Pyro asked. "If you ask me, this is a sissy mission. I am, after all, the only one of us that controls fire. How easy would it be for me to burn this down?"

"What, you got moh' tables t' wait?" Gambit shot back.

"Oh, shaddup, all o' ya!" Rogue bellowed. "Let's just burn this muthafucka t' the ground."

"We don't need no water," Pyro sang. "Let the mother fucker burn. Burn, mother fucker, burn."

"Oh, shut up," Wanda snapped as she hexed the door open.

The room was dark an dusty, a testament to the fact that no one had set foot in the place since Magneto took office. Books after books were neatly filed in various bookshelves. Filing cabinets held alphabetical files of inhabitants of Genosha. Peter unscrewed the cap from the bright red container and spilled gasoline all over the room. Rogue knocked over the filing cabinets, spilling out every file. Pyro flicked his lighter on and off, excited at the prospect of a large bonfire.

"Ready, set, fire!"

John didn't need an invitation. He used the small flame from his lighter to form a phoenix that flew right on top of a stack of books. The room lit up with amber flames. The filing cabinets, books, desks, bookshelves, chairs, and most everything burst into flames as Pyro stood in the middle of the chaos, cackling and very pleased with his handy work.

"That's enough, comrade," Colossus warned.

"Yeah, psycho," Wanda added. "Don't take us all down with this inferno."

He wasn't listening. Instead, he basked in the fiery glow of the room.

"Knock it off, jerk!" Pietro screamed over the roaring fire.

"Ha ha ha!" he laughed. "Isn't it beautiful?"

The flames were quickly closing on the six of them. Rogue lunged for Pyro, grabbing his angular jaw. Nothing happened. _That's right,_ she reminded herself. _Ah gotta concentrate. _Suddenly, she focsed all her energy on absorbingJohn and controlling defusing the fire. As each memory and ability of John's drained into Rogue, each flame dissipated. She felt the ecstasy of transfer overtake her. Her grip grew stronger until her fingernails began to dig into his flesh. John gasped for the breath he was denied as she stole every fiber of his being.

"Let go o' him, Rogue!" Gambit shouted.

She felt so powerful, and she couldn't let go. The power was too sweet. She could feel the fire Pyro controlled coursing through her veins. It burned her fingertips with rapture. John struggled against her, but his efforts were futile. The room was dark once again.

"Help!" John gurgled.

"Let him go, crazy woman!" Pietro bellowed, running to the two. Rogue gave him one fast punch before sending him into the nearest wall.

Colossus tried to pry Pyro from her arms, but was unsuccessful. It was finally Wanda who hexed him out of her arms. Gambit ran to catch Rogue as she fell to the floor. Pyro fell back into the ashes. Colossus propped his teammate's head up. John's eyes rolled back into his head. "He's going through shock," he said. "Falling buildings I can handle, but not this. I'm no doctor.

"Leave it to me," Pietro replied, and without waiting for an answer, sped out of the building to get help.

"A simple mission and it gets fucked up because of Little Miss Accident-Waiting to-Happen," Wanda mumbled. A twinge of remorse hit her and she swept her blue eyes over the scene. "I hope Pyro's okay. I know he went berserk, but, Jesus, that's no reason to have your life force sucked dry. She didn't have to hold on that long."

"She didn't mean foh it t' happen," he defended her sternly. "It probably has somet'in' t' do with de collar."

"Or the fact that she really enjoys fucking with people's lives," she responded icily. "I mean, Pietro's not her first victim. An accident my ass."

"Where am Ah?" Rogue asked groggily as Anna pried her eyes open. The room was swimming in front of her eyes. The walls were all white, and there were a few familiar faces that blurred past her gaze.

"Ya gave us quite a fright," Anna replied, "An I was a bit worried fuir a while there, 'cause my powers dinna seem ta help."

"She wasn't hurt," Gambit said. "She just passed out."

"Cold," Wanda added.

"Where's John?" she asked.

Gambit pointed to the adjacent infirmary bed when Pyro lay supine and sickly. She rolled to her side to get a good look at him. "Sorry guys, Ah didn't mean t' hold on f'r so long. Ah was just a little shook up."

"No wonder why the X-Men hate you," Wanda mumbled.

Anna swatted at her. "It was an accident, lass."

Gambit observed Rogue through heavy-lidded eyes. He looked over to John and sighed. "How long does it take to wear off once ya steal some one's identity?"

She shrugged. "Ah don't know. Sometimes it takes forevah, sometimes a few hours or minutes. Why?"

"John's been comatose for five hours," Magneto replied. "We don't know if he'll turn out to be another Carol."

"Oh mah Gawd," she cried. "No, he's gotta wake up."

_There you go again, _murderer, Carol whispered harshly. _Now I'll be joined by some annoying Aussie._

"It cain't be like Carol," she said. "It cain't. Ah didn't hold on that long, did Ah? Ah couldn't have... it was just a mistake."

"Didn't seem like a mistake t' me," Remy said softly. "We told ya t' let go. Ya kept holdin' on."

"It was an accident," she repeated. Who was she trying to convince?

"Why don't ya just rest, dear?" Anna suggested. "It's late. We'll deal with John t'morrow."

Rogue barely heard her as she rose from the infirmary bed and padded down the hallway. _What have Ah done?_ she asked herself. _ What have Ah let mahself become? Why didn't Ah let go? Why did Ah enjoy it so much? What the fuck is wrong with me!_

Her room was empty and cold. Rogue quickly spotted her duffel bag and dug through it to stumble upon a bottle of sleeping pills her mother had given her to combat the horrible nightmares. Without thinking twice, she carried the bottle to her bathroom and filled a glass of water. She took the remainder of its contents in one gigantic gulp. _The best thang Ah could do is die._

Wanda woke up with a start. She threw her covers off of her body, and sat up. Something wasn't right in the house. She padded down to the infirmary to find John's vitals dropping quickly. She shouted for assistance. Anna and Magneto hurried into the room.

"What's going on?" she asked them, frightened.

"There's only one explanation," Magneto replied. He exchanged a look with Anna to confirm his worst fears. "Rogue."

"You need t' try t' stay awake, lass," Anna encouraged, brushing Rogue's bangs from her perspiring forehead. Her eyes were so heavy. Rogue didn't think she could keep them open any longer. She was so cold, and everything seemed so far away. Her legs were a purplish green and quivering violently. Gambit tried to warm her up by kinetically charging the blanket. "We're almost t' the hospital."

Wanda watched helplessly as Rogue's body violently shook between she and Gambit. This wasn't her first suicide attempt. She tried it once, somewhere that it wasn't uncommon. She couldn't remember why or how, just that she felt so betrayed and helpless. Maybe Rogue really hadn't meant to hang on to Pyro for long. Now if she ended up in a coma- or worse- he would never return to normal. She sneaked a glance at Remy, who looked absolutely distraught. She knew he probably felt as bad as she did for saying some of things they said.

"Ya gotta hang in there, chere," he cooed, brushing her bangs from her perspiring forehead. "You'll be okay."

_Will she?_ Wanda wondered. Rogue was in bad shape, and the medicine was starting to take effect. Her pulse was slowly ceasing.

Anna looked back at the three from the passenger seat. "Shit, Magnus, we're losing her."

"Do what you must to keep her alive," he replied.

She bit her lip in concentration and laid her two hands on Rogue's bare arms. She searched the body for the damage. Rogue's brain was disoriented, and her heart was slowing with each shallow breath Rogue took. Anna focused on repairing the damage. She sent a shockwave of power through Rogue's body.

"Wha-" Rogue gasped, taken aback by the adrenaline rushing through her. Everything in her body snapped too attention; it was such a shock that she could barely breathe.

"I'm afraid the damage is just going ta come back," Anna said. "We have ta get her stomach pumped quickly or her heart is going ta stop."

"Rogue, how could you be so stupid?" Wanda inquired angrily. She bit her tongue, and tried to make up for the harsh words. "I mean, it was just an accident. If you die now, then John will never come back. We've got to keep you alive to keep him alive." She grabbed on to Rogue's wrist, only to find several fresh cuts hidden by her bracelets. She stared unbelievingly at them, then at her own scars. She had been wrong. They were no different at all.

"Ah'm so sorry," Rogue choked, tears running down her cheeks. "Ah just didn't know what else t' do."

"Shush, lass," she commanded. "You need t' save yuir strength." Another shot of electricity startled Rogue's inside. Blue light flowed from Anna's warm, brown hands and to her ceasing heart.

"We're here," Magneto cried with relief.

The doors opened and the four of them rushed out, Gambit stopping to scoop Rogue's shivering body into his arms. He just hoped that they hadn't waited to long to intervene. She had to make it through, for his sake and for John's.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Back to Normal?

Chapter Eleven: Back to Normal?

x x x

I know I talked about illustrations, so there's a couple up here: I've actually experienced an overdose on sleeping pills myself, so that's pretty much taken verbatim from my own experience. Granted, everyone's body will probably have a different reaction to that. I, for example, am very intolerable to medicine, so it probably hit me harder than Rogue might have been affected. Medically, from what I understand, is that your heartbeat increases at first and then because the medicine is such a depressant, your heartbeat actually slows down until it stops and you die. And the quivering and green-purple, that also happens for one because you're cold, and for two because your body is trying to fight off the medicine.

x x x

The room was silent except for the rhythmic beeping of the EKG machine as Rogue slowly became more aware of what was happening around her. All was quiet in the ICU. It was morning; she must have slept through the night after they pumped her stomach. She had overdosed on sleeping pills, after all. Gambit lay in the chair beside her hospital bed, sleeping, and Wanda in another chair, doing a crossword puzzle. She looked up suddenly and smiled. "Hey," she said softly.

"Hey," she replied with a small nod. "Ya'all stay here all night?"

"Two nights, actually," Wanda replied. "You slept for quite sometime. The doctors were really worried. They were worried you might go into a coma."

"Ah'm really sorry," she whispered. "Ah just… felt so guilty. Ah guess Ah kinda lost it for a while."

"I know you didn't really want to die." Wanda said. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, I attempted suicide once, too. It was a long time ago. I don't remember why, but I guess we both have demons to fight. And I know a few people who even succeeded. Sometimes things like that just… happen. I know I've been kind of a pain to you, but I'm glad you didn't die. Rogue, you're stronger than that and you know it."

A single tear fell down Rogue's cheek. "Thanks."

Groaning cut into the silence as Remy stretched out, yawning, like a languid lion. He looked up and smiled. "Mornin', Sleepin' beauty," he drawled.

She grabbed his hand, scared, and squeezed it hard. Not able to take it anymore, she burst into tears. Gambit, surprised, got up and pulled her into an embrace. "Ah'm so sorry," she sobbed.

He wasn't sure how to respond. Someone so strong and dynamic suddenly had become weak, dependant, and full of despair. He was used to Rogue's bossy attitude and clever comebacks. He was used to her harsh words and lovely laughter. Not these tears, and not the black charcoal smeared on her lips and down her chin. He thought he was going to lose her and John. He had never been so scared in his life. He held her tightly and responded, "Just don't do dat ever again, chere. Ever."

"Ah promise," she said, pulling away and wiping her tears.

Wanda smiled. "I'll leave you two alone."

Words weren't needed. Rogue wasn't concerned about seeming too in love with Remy anymore. It seemed so trivial when the fact was simple: She needed him, and from what he told her, he needed her, too. They just hugged each other, listening to the encouragingly steady beep of the machine. She was going to be okay. They all were.

x x x

It took a few days before John woke up, but he did come back. He never mentioned anything to Rogue about the incident, and she suspected that Remy had tactfully told him about that night. Even if he was a creep, he wouldn't make her feel bad after that. It would several days, if not many more, for Rogue to forgive herself. She learned that even with the collar, it hadn't stopped her power. She had to learn to control that dark part of herself that made her hang on- that little seed of murder that Mystique had planted and patiently waited for it to bloom.

The house became pretty quiet since the incident, Magneto, Anna, and Dr. Moreau working as diligently as ever on their project. Sometimes the Acolytes ran into town for some errand, but mostly they stayed at home, helping the adults. Genosha became more and more like their secret base every day, and they all knew it wouldn't be long before their plan was carried out.

Innocently. That's how the day had begun for the Acolytes as they chowed down at a local pizza parlor. Gambit and Rogue sat across from each other, bickering about what toppings they wanted on their pizza, as Wanda, John, Colossus, and Pietro watched in amusement.

"Well, how 'bout barbeque chicken?" Remy suggested. "How bad can dat be?"

"That's not even real pizza!" Rogue objected. It hadn't taken the couple very long to continue butting heads, even over something so insignificant as a type of pizza.

"Well den what do you suggest?" he asked testily.

"How 'bout Hawaiian?"

"Fruit on a pizza!" he exclaimed incredulously. "Are ya out o' yoh fuckin' mind? No way, Hose!"

Folding her arms across her chest, Rogue glared daggers in return. "Fine, then, what 'bout pepperoni?"

"Pepperoni?" He turned to John. "Pepperoni? She t'inks Pepperoni is good on a pizza? Dis is pizza! P-I-Z-Z-A. You don' just put pepperoni on it. Dat's way too boring!"

Wanda rolled her eyes and turned to the flustered waiter. "We'll just have two large cheese pizzas."

"Your kids are going to be _fucked up_," Pietro remarked with a sip of his Coke.

Rogue, still huffing over the pizza, snapped in response, "Yeah, well, he wishes he'd get close enough t' make mah babies."

"Whatever,' John retorted with a smirk. "Ya sure were doing some baby-making last night."

"We were not!"

As it took the rest of the Acolytes to tear Rogue away from Pyro, Wanda reflected on many things had changed since the incident, and yet it was still the very same. That's when the doorbell sounded.

The Acolytes stopped their fighting immediately as two familiar figures were seated in a neighboring booth.

"What are Red and One-Eye doing here?" Pietro inquired.

Rogue hid herself behind the menu. "Maybe they won't notice us."

Of course, that false hope shattered as Jean turned and spotted them. "So we meet again," she said, glaring at Rogue.

She shrugged. "It's a small world after all."

"We know what you're up to," Cyclops snapped, walking towards the Acolyte's table. "And you should know that we plan to stop it at all costs."

Gambit yawned. "Is our pizza ready yet?"

"What makes you think you can stop us?" Wanda asked evenly.

"We always stop you," Jean replied.

"Ah think ya'all oughta mind y'r own business," Rogue interjected. "We're only fixin' this place up after the government imprisoned mutants here."

"And creating your own mutant base for war, isn't that right?"

"Dat's completely right, ol' Scotty. But I don' see how any o' ya can do on damned t'ing 'bout it, seein' as how Magneto owns dis place. We could kick ya out in minutes."

"I'd like to see you try!" Cyclops challenged.

Remy rose from his chair and slapped his hands on the table menacingly.

"Oh, control y'r testosterone levels, boys," Rogue snarled, mediating. She smiled sweetly. "Look, we're just tryin' t' have some freakin' pizza, an Ah'm assuming ya'all are doin' the same. Why don't we agree t' disagree so we can all eat our food in peace?"

"I'm surprised they let you out," Jean snarled. "After all, you're a walking disaster. How many more lives did you ruin today?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, here we go again. Ah didn't think ya could be so petty, Grey."

"I didn't think you could play so innocent, after all that you've done."

Gambit encircled her waist with his arm protectively. "Why don't you just leave her alone?"

Scott glared and grabbed Jean's arm. "Let's just go somewhere else."

"You better watch your back, X-Geeks!" John shouted as they left the parlor.

Rogue sank into the booth with a heavy sigh. "Past, meet present. Past, fuck any chance of me ever havin' a normal life."

"Don't worry about them," Wanda replied. "They're just idiots."

"Ah guess so," she said dispassionately.

x x x

_Subject: Your daughter_

_Mystique,_

_While I realize that you are no longer the caretaker of Rogue, I thought I might inform you that a few nights ago your daughter attempted suicide. It was quite unexpected, as she took sleeping pills after an accidental absorption of one of my students. She was in the ICU for two days, but I am glad to say that she is better now and has no repercussions from the overdose. I assume the grief of her power taking Carol's life force for good and most likely the trauma from being separated from you led her to such a bold decision. If you would like to still make amends with your daughter that is fine. But know this: she is part of my team and I won't stand to see you play mother dearest with her now. Blooming friendships with my daughter and a student of mine have led her to become a little happier, and I won't stand to see you ruin it like you do to everything else._

_Sincerely,_

_Magneto_

_P S I know what you sent Rogue here for, but I assure you, I have her eating out of my palm now._

Mystique swore loudly after reading the e-mail. She wondered, was that the warning that Irene had given her? She knew her daughter had always been depressed, even more so since the Danvers incident, but she never would have believed that she would ever attempt to take her own life. "Stupid girl," she growled. "Right in the middle of our plan, and you have to have a crisis like this?"

She couldn't call her. No, that would be too suspicious. She had to pretend that she and Rogue had nothing to do with each other anymore. Still, she longed to talk to her daughter. She opened up a new e-mail, knowing that it too would probably be ignored like the last one. At that exact moment, her inbox was filled with a new message.

_Subject: I'm sorry._

_I realize that Magneto sent you an e-mail. Please, let me explain. I thought John was going to be another Carol and I sort of… overreacted. I'm sorry to worry you. As for our plan, the ball is still in their court. The power amplifying collar has been successfully created (and I even have one and it works wonders!), but I'm still waiting for the completed power mimicking collar. Don't you worry none about me. I'm fine now, really. And I even have someone here to keep me company. I know, I know, you'd hardly approve, but I like him. Well, I better go._

_Love,_

_Rogue._

Mystique didn't bother to reply. So, she was just moments away from her plan coming into fruition. As soon as she got her hands on the collars, she could truly impersonate Magneto and use his base and his minions for her own plan. Then she and Rogue would rule the mutant paradise left in the world's ruins. It was only a matter of time before Rogue would assassinate Magneto and the chips would fall into place.

x x x

I realize that this may seem kind of cheesy… what with everyone pretty much ignoring the attempt. I will try to focus on fixing what was broken in later chapters, but for right now, it just kind of seems in character for everyone to gloss over it like it didn't happen.

More coming soon! Loves and Kisses, Free.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Rocky Foundation

**Chapter Twelve: Rocky Foundation**

x x x

Ack! I keep trying to post the illustrations, but for some reason the url keeps disappearing. So if you're interested in seeing some, there's a link on my author's profile at the bottom. Ishandahalf- I must agree with you. Remy sucks at picking pizza. Pineapple on pizza is my favorite, but you know how boys are. Stoooopid. -- Also, I left out chapter five! Oh man, I didn't even catch that one! Chapter Five is up now- so I suggest you read that if you had any questions between chapters four and six. Yeah the updates might be quite fast because I seriously am so manic about this story. It's going be freaking intense, kids, because Ooooh if you only knew what I have in store for you… Let me just say this. You will be so surprised you'll wet yourself. Yep, it's that good. Now, please be good little readers and click that review button when you're done!

x x x

"How much do ya trust me?"

He was lying on Rogue's bed as she flipped through various songs on her laptop. She turned to him and wrinkled her nose. "Ah don't trust ya at all, Cajun snake!" she exclaimed, smiling.

"Be serious."

She frowned. "Ah trust ya fine," she replied, rising and joining him on the twin bed. "Why do ya ask?"

He sighed, trying to figure out the right way to ask. "What are ya really doin' here, Rogue?"

She bristled at the question and rolled away from him. "Are ya accusing me of lyin'?" she snarled.

"See," he said, throwing up his hands in the air. "I try t' ask ya a question an ya snap at me! Remy knew ya were gonna be like dis."

"Ah'm sorry," she relented. She traced patterns on her comforter guiltily, not meeting his gaze. "Ah ain't got any other reason t' be here. Ah just needed someone t' help me control mah powers and shelter me f'r a lil' bit."

"Well ya got de collar. Why ya stick around?"

"Are ya tellin' me you want me to leave?" Rogue asked, a little panicked.

"No!"

"Well, y'r here, ain't ya?" She kissed the tip of his nose playfully. "Ah at least got that as a reason t' stick around."

Gambit turned away. "I saw the e-mails in yoh inbox. Ya still been in touch wit yoh mother."

"You what!" she shouted, shoving him off the bed. He fell to the floor with a soft thud. "Why the hell were ya snoopin' in mah stuff?"

"Cause somet'in' ain't right." He pushed himself up. "Why, if she kicked ya out, is Mystique still sendin' ya e-mails?"

She jumped up and turned off her laptop, then angrily turned to him. "Ah attempted suicide. She's not a complete bitch- she was worried 'bout me. Ah am, after all, her daughter, betrayal or no betrayal. An what gave ya any right to snoop through mah stuff! Ah thought ya believed in me!"

"Y'r the one double-teamin' us," he shot back evenly. "Don't ask me not'ing 'bout loyality."

"You ask me if Ah trust ya- when y'r the one who doesn't trust _me_!"

"How can I when ya lie t' me?"

Her green eyes narrowed. "Ah did not lie t' ya! Mystique kicked me out. This is mah home now."

"Dis is yoh home 'cause Mystique's tryin' t' weasel somet'ing outta ya."

She pointed to the door. "Get the hell out!"

"Rogue…" he implored, gingerly touching her cheek. "Don' lie t' me. Tell me de truth."

She pulled away, disgusted. "Get out."

x x x

"Ah can't believe he did that to me," Rogue said, spilling her woes over an ice cream sundae. She picked at the treat morosely. "Ah mean, Ah know he's a sneaky thief, but has he ever heard of privacy?"

Wanda thought it over between spoonfuls of her health blizzard. "You know, I thought the same about you. You are Mystique's daughter, after all. I didn't think you were on our side the first time you showed up. But I think you are now, and I'm sure given time Remy will come around too."

"We're supposed to be in a relationship. How can we have a relationship without trust?"

_Why should he trust you?_ Carol asked smugly. _You were lying to him after all. You're going to kill Magneto and he knows it._

_Shut up!_

"Can I get you girls anything else?" a tall, blonde waitress asked. Rogue couldn't help but notice there was something peculiar about the woman. She shook her head slowly, still eyeing her. "All right, I'll leave you girls to it!"

"Just relax, Rogue," Wanda encouraged. "I'm sure Remy was just overreacting. He's crazy about you. I'm sure he'll be begging you for forgiveness in no time."

"Ya really think so?" Rogue asked, trying desperately to cover up the insecurities deep inside that were screaming he was going to leave her, that she was no prize, that he didn't need her after all. Carol, of course, echoed those concerns perfectly, leaving her no choice but to listen.

"Positive."

The ice cream melted immediately after Rogue spooned it into her mouth. She swallowed in, enjoying something she hadn't tasted in quite sometime. She and Wanda decided that the girls needed a break. It was funny how days ago Wanda would have scoffed at the idea, but something had changed in the girl. She eyed the Scarlet Witch nervously. "Why are ya bein' so nice t' me all o' the sudden?"

She smiled. "Well, I'm not angry all the time." After receiving a look from her teammate she corrected herself. "At least, not anymore. Rogue, after your accident I decided we weren't as different as I thought we were."

"Ya mean ya pitied me?" she asked, disgusted.

"I felt a little sorry for all I said, yes, but… Rogue, I've done what you've done." She reached out and grabbed Rogue's wrist, displaying it right next to her own. "See the scars?"

"That doesn't mean we're the same," she snapped, pulling away and covering up the marks with her bracelets. "Everyone does it anymore. Everyone who's ever listened to an Evanescence album."

Wanda sighed and watched the ice cream drip from her spoon and back into the cup. "I don't even know why I did the things I did. I mean, I remember being so hurt and so angry… but, I mean, it was complete unnecessary. I didn't have one thing to be mad about."

"Ah-" Rogue bit her tongue, holding the explanation back. Magneto must've brainwashed her, and considering her current benefactor, she didn't want to do anything to upset him. "Ah don't know why Ah did it either. Maybe we're just… messed up from having megalomaniacs f'r parents."

"You've got a point there."

She had to admit that Wanda had spoken the truth when she said they were like each other. They both read vampire novels, listened to the same music, had crazed villains for parents who regularly lied to them and used them for their own twisted powers. What Magneto did to Wanda wasn't right, and it took all her tact not to blurt out the whole story. She didn't want to cause any more trouble.

"Do you miss your mom?"

Rogue nodded. "She's not such a bad person once ya get t' know her. She's just… a lil' crazy at times."

"I wouldn't know," she replied. "After all, Mystique just broke me out to use my power to tip the scales in her favor."

"Yeah, she does that." She wondered what Mystique was doing at that same exact moment.

x x x

"Stupid child," Mystique growled, shifting back into herself outside of the ice cream shop. Rogue had definitely lagged in her secrecy to let her little boyfriend stumble upon one of her e-mails. She was just lucky that it had been general. Still, any contact should have been guarded. They didn't have room for mistakes like that.

"Remy, was it? He must be that boy she's so crazy about." She shook her head. "I can't allow some stupid kid to come compromise our plan." She prayed that there was still some sense left in the girl. Hopefully, she did not choose heart over head. Rogue was always doing that, and it only led to trouble. _Please, for both our sakes, let this boy be just a boy to her._

x x x

Sorry so short, but there's more coming! REVIEW **please?**.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Digging Deeper

**Chapter Thirteen: Digging Deeper**

xxx

"Magneto?" Remy asked quietly as he softly rapped on the wooden door.

"Come in," he replied curtly from the other side of the door.

He opened it and slipped into his leader's office, taking a seat in one of the red overstuffed chairs that furnished the room. "I didn't mean t' interrupt ya or not'in'," he started. "Gambit just ran across a lil' information dat you might find interestin' an-"

He cut the young boy off. "I'm well aware of Rogue's correspondence with her mother," he said. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Gambit. I've got everything concerning Rogue under complete control."

His demon eyes flashed with anger. "Yoh just usin' her, aren't ya?" he asked.

Magneto chuckled. "Well, it depends on how you see it," he responded casually. "Tell me exactly who is using who. Rogue only came here because her mother needed a spy. Rogue quickly rallied to our cause when I presented her with the collar. Isn't she using us just the same as you're using that precious collar?"

"I'm not usin' dat collar," he answered testily. "I mean, sure, it's a pretty nice blessin, but dat ain't the only reason I'm wit' her. I'd still be by her side powers or not. I love dat fille."

"Love her so much you're ratting your precious girlfriend out, eh?"

Gambit swallowed his cutting retort. After much thought he replied, "I know 'bout loyalty. Growin' up a t'ief I didn't have dat many morals, but I knew about trust and loyalty. You hired me whether I like it or not, an it's my job to fulfill dat contract ain't it?"

"Allegiance is so hard to find nowadays," Magneto said with a small smile. "It's lucky for me that I have such trustworthy Acolytes such as Rogue and yourself."

"Rogue?"

The question amused Magneto and he chuckled once more. "You don't understand, do you?" Remy shook his head reluctantly. "I've learned through my long life that allegiance can be bought with the right price. Just like your father who agreed to lend you to me after I opened my checkbook, Rogue was easily swayed by the same idea. Granted, she wasn't purchased through money. No, she was purchased through a miracle she thought she'd never get. She is a sworn Acolyte to me now. Mystique couldn't give her that gift no matter how much she tried, so her loyalty to her own mother is shattered. I have no doubt that Rogue will refuse her mother's plan to take over Genosha. Her new collar is more precious to her." His smile spread wider. "Besides, she wouldn't want to betray her love either, now would she?"

"Mystique is a lot more dangerous dan dat," Gambit objected. "So what if Rogue don' follow t'rough? Her mere will."

"Perhaps," the demagogue agreed. "Mystique is indeed a bigger threat than I'd like to give her credit for. But she is Rogue's mother, and that tie cannot be broken. Blood is stronger than that. She would not betray her own daughter."

_She would not betray her own daughter._ Remy hardly knew the woman, but his instinct told him that perhaps she would. After all, she fought her own son on numerous occasions with every notion of who he was. She didn't think twice. Perhaps she would do the same to the daughter she loved and raised. Besides, who was Magneto to talk? Hadn't _he_ betrayed his own daughter? He rose disgustedly and went off to find Rogue.

x xx

"What do _you_ want?" Rogue asked angrily as Gambit sauntered up to the game of cards she and Wanda were playing.

"Straight flush," Wanda said, ignoring his presence. "Read 'em and weep."

Rogue sighed and revealed her full house. "What is this, like the fourth time ya've kicked mah ass?"

She snatched up the Atreyu CD with a grin. "Look at me, four new CDs to your two!"

"Playin' poker, ladies?" Remy asked smoothly. "Perhaps ya'all good deal Gambit in?"

"Not a chance," Rogue replied.

"I can take a hint," Wanda said with a smile, collecting her new music and exiting quietly.

Gambit sat down by Rogue. She scooted away disgustedly. He sighed. "Look, chere, I'm sorry, but it's my job t' snoop 'round. An it seemed a lil' suspicious t' me that ya still were talkin' t' the fille who kicked ya out."

She glared at him. "Who do you love more, Magneto or me? Y'r a lap dog."

"Loyalty is important to me," he replied softly. "If ya can't be loyal t' the team, how can ya be loyal t' me?"

"How could Ah ever think we had somethin?" she asked, her voice dripping like honey from a silver blade.

He grabbed her shoulders firmly. "Don' be like dis."

She shrugged him off. "What do you want me to say? _You_ betrayed _my_ trust."

"Rogue, I love you," he said after much silence. "Please just don't forget that."

"I love you, too," she said softly. She kissed him quickly. "Ah'm sorry Ah yelled at you."

"Please just don't yoh mot'er push you around."

"…Ah won't."

He grinned and grabbed her hand. "Now, come on, dey finished the imitatin' collar."

She froze. _No. Ah was hopin that they never would finish it. _She swallowed hard. "Okay. Ah'll be there in a second."

As Gambit walked to the meeting room, she padded down to her bedroom guiltily. The computer screen was seducing her. _No,_ she said resolutely. _Ah ain't gonna betray them like that. Not after all they've done f'r me. Magneto helped me. Ah love Remy. An the rest o' them are mah friends. _She nodded sternly. _No. Ah won't tell her._

The professional inside her was winning, though. Mystique would be proud that she was still a murderer. She bypassed the laptop and picked up the plastic pistol underneath her bed. The plastic shone white in the light, and she quickly tucked the pistol in her jeans. _Ah've got to do it,_ she said. _Ah cain't let Mystique down._

_She's got you right where she wants you, _Carol said sadly. Rogue had to admit that for once, she was right.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Betrayal

**Chapter Fourteen: Betrayal**

Rogue saw him standing by the window. Now was her chance. His guard was down. He trusted her. All she had to do was pull the trigger, and it would be all over. She would be one step closer to her plan- _Mystique's plan_- of world domination.

Sweaty palms gripped the plastic pistol firmly. She pulled it out from behind her back, leveling the weapon to the back of his head. Her finger trembled as it drew near the trigger.

He never turned around. The poor bastard probably didn't even notice her presence. He only stood facing the window and watched the snow fall, oblivious to the fact that the white blanket would soon be coated with crimson blood- his blood.

_Do it, _Mystique's voice urged. _Get it over with. It will be easy now that his guard is down. Just kill him. It'll be fine. He's the man that you hate._

But she did not hate him. She couldn't hate him. He had done so much for her, never suspecting that one day she would stand above his bloody corpse. Or perhaps he did suspect something but didn't want to believe it. She could not kill the man who allowed her to touch the man she loved and subdue Carol's voice. She could not kill her best friend's father. She just couldn't do it.

"Magneto," she said softly, while lowering the weapon.

"Yes? What it is?" he asked curtly.

Her hand quavered; the gun shook violently under her grasp. "Ah came t' tell ya somethin'."

He turned around, curious. "And what is that?" He did not seem to notice the gun she held.

Rogue could see herself pressing the trigger now. She imagined his ice blue eyes widening in surprise when she said, "Ah've come t' kill ya." The bullet would slice through the air in a wide arc, meeting the place between the brows. Only a trickle of blood would escape from the wound, and she would gingerly clean it up. She would fly from his quarters and drop him in the ocean so he could join Trask, Gyrich, and all the others she had killed. If anyone would find his body, it would be rotted and maimed beyond recognition, due to the vicious waves of the sea. No one would know Magneto was even gone. Mystique would smile when she told her of his demise, and congratulate her on a job well done.

Instead, the teenager only stood in front of the Master of Magnetism, quaking as soft sobs escaped from her mouth. "_Run_," she said, before dropping the pistol.

"Pardon me?"

"Ah was sent to kill you," she whispered, trying to fight the tears of despair that sprang so readily to her eyes. "But ah can't. Not after the kindness ya showed me. An if Ah won't do it, then Mystique'll finish the job. Get outta here b'fore she gets the chance."

Magneto laughed, which was definitely not the response Rogue had expected. The laugh was a strange musical cackle that seemed foreign on his lips. "I'm afraid it's too late for that, my dear."

His face shimmered and molecules changed and reassembled themselves like a jig-saw puzzle. A long, indigo face stared down at her complete with sharp golden eyes that had a hint of the malicious laughter that flowed from her blood red lips.

"Mystique?" Rogue asked incredulously. "But, why? Ah coulda killed ya!"

She smirked. "But I knew you wouldn't, darling, because you have that horrible thing called a conscious. Such a pity, too. You really must have that removed."

Her whole body felt as though it was made of lead. "Where's Magneto?" she choked.

Mystique smiled. "Oh, I've taken care of him." She saw her daughter's face, and her own expression twisted into disgust. "Oh, don't tell me now, when we're so close to victory, you're backing out? That suddenly you're turning into Miss Morality?"

"We didn't have t' kill him," Rogue replied. "You coulda took his shape while we held him somewhere-"

"And risk the chance of someone finding him?" she snorted. "I thought you were smarter than that, Rogue."

"Why do we have t' kill?"

Mystique knew what happened to her daughter. It was so obvious! Why didn't she see it before? It was that boy; he changed her. He told her that she didn't have to kill- filled her with delusions equal to Xavier's pipedream. She didn't have to kill, oh no, mutants and humans could coexist if she just believed. Peace and love would save the day! All the better to brainwash you with, my dear. She was even willing to turn against her own mother- a child! Her cause, however realistic it was, meant nothing to Rogue anymore, because of love. It was the blade hovering above their heads, just waiting to come crashing down the moment Rogue decided to follow her heart.

"You fool!" she snapped. "You absolute fool! You're willing to throw away everything I've taught you- everything we've worked for, just because of a silly little boy? I've raised you better than this!"

"Raised me t' do what, Momma?" Rogue retorted angrily. "Kill, lie, and steal?"

"I raised you to fight for a cause, damn it! I raised you to use your head, not your heart, and you never, ever listened. Now I beg you, Rogue, listen to me. I know better than you. I've lived a long life, and I know that your heart only gets in the way."

She shook her head. "No, that's exactly what ya taught me t' do. Fight f'r somethin'- _someone_- Ah believe in! Remy makes me happy, not killin', not lyin' t' everyone Ah care about, not threatening world leaders, not any o' it! You could never make me happy, Mystique. You tried. But the extremes we gotta go t' just t' have y'r dream come true only made mah unhappiness worse."

"But someday you _will _be happy!" Mystique argued. "Once our dream becomes a reality!"

"It ain't _our_ dream. It's y'rs."

Raven looked away. "What are you saying, Rogue? That you don't love me?"

"O' course Ah do!" Rogue insisted. "But Ah don't wanna kill anymore, Momma! An if ya loved me, ya'd just except that!"

She shook her head sadly, as if in a trance. She pulled Rogue into an embrace, surprising the girl. "I do love you," she said in a haunting tone. Slender fingers found the serum in she had slipped in her belt. She fastened a needle onto it. "That's why I must do this."

The needle plunged into Rogue's abdomen, and the girl cried out in pain. Mystique pushed the lever firmly. "It will be all over, darling, and you'll feel better."

Rogue shivered and gasped, holding tightly onto Mystique. Her fingernails clawed at the older woman's shoulder until blood ran down into small streams. Mystique only smiled sadly at her daughter. She stroked her hair gently as her other hand held the girl's body to her own. Rogue's fingers relaxed, resting on the blood-drenched shoulder, quivering slightly. Her vision blurred and the whole world seemed to dance with black spots. Mystique clutched her daughter tightly as Rogue slipped into unconsciousness.

xxx

Oh shit, kids! What's going to happen to Rogue and the Acolytes now? Stay tuned!


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Illusions

**Chapter Fifteen: Illusions**

"You okay, chere?" a voice asked in the darkness.

"I'm afraid that I may have pushed her too hard," a regal tone answered for the sleeping girl. "Our last training session was quite intense."

"Does she need to be healed?" a girl inquired. "I can go get Anna."

"She isn't here right now, and besides, that won't be necessary…"

She opened her eyes slowly, squinting in an attempt to make the blurry figures connect in a way that made sense. Magneto's aged face came into focus first, then Gambit's stubble-clad jaw, followed by Wanda's worried, blue eyes. "Where am Ah?" she whispered, still woozy from her slumber.

"In de 'firmary," Remy replied, sweeping his fingers through her chestnut hair. His cat eyes spoke of relief, and he smiled. "Glad yoh okay."

"Make sure she gets plenty of fluids," Erik instructed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some pressing matters I must attend to elsewhere."

The Master of Magnetism sauntered off, only to turn at the door when his daughter asked him to wait. "Follow me, dear," he said. "We can talk on the way to the lab."

Wanda bit her lip pensively. "Are you sure Rogue's okay. I mean she did try to kill herself before. Couldn't this have been-"

"Another attempt?"

She nodded. "I'm just worried about her…" Wanda did not have a reason to, besides that Rogue and she had become good friends over the last few weeks, but something in her subconscious screamed at her that something was wrong. That she'd seen things done before… red on white walls… the blue skin of a poisoned human… needles and syringes. The images alarmed her. She knew that she had attempted suicide before- she was in the hospital for a night. But that place in her mind wasn't a hospital… it was something much more disturbing.

Magneto smiled benevolently. "It was only exhaustion after a training session. I'm afraid that the new collar might be a little hard for her to control. After all, she no longer can rely on skin-to-skin contact to absorb anything by default. She must will it to happen."

"Can… can the collar help me control my powers?" Wanda asked. She knew that her frequent fits of rage had compromised the team more times than she wished to believe. "Can I simply _will_ things to happen, too?"

"You already will things to happen," he responded with a smirk. "You just need to learn how to make sure the will is what needs to be done, not purely instinctual. The collar will not help you with repressed feelings. You need to control your anger on your own. Besides, as annoying as it may be for a father to have his daughter constantly at arms with everyone, I think your anger gives you power, limitless and furious power."

She stared at her gloved hands in amazement, working them into fists, as though she were the mutant that her father spoke of. Something told her that this was not the first time she heard the comment, but not from her father. Erik wanted to keep her temper at bay. "You mean-"

"Do you think I raised you for nothing?" he asked. "You know your father is not a kind man without reason. You are strong, Wanda. Stronger than your brother. Stronger than many of the fools in this house. You can get whatever you want with prowess like yours. So, the question is, what do you want?"

It was a rhetorical question, as Magneto disappeared into the lab. The Scarlet Witch leaned against the metal wall in thought. _What do I want?_ she asked herself. _Power… revenge…_She imagined herself at the Bayville mall, demolishing everyone in her way, embarrassing the X-Men. She was angry about something, and Mystique stood in the back, smiling. She vaguely remembered her days in the Brotherhood, back when she was angry at her father. Back when she was foolish. _Am I still angry at him? …Or am I angry at someone else?_

The infirmary door closed down the hall, and Wanda frowned. She remembered how she used to hate Rogue. How she got everything she wanted. How she joined the Acolytes and suddenly she had charmed every male, including Wanda's own father. He treated her like some pet. A few seconds ago, he spoke of Wanda's limitless power. _More limitless than Rogue's?_

The thought was not welcome and fleeting, but she couldn't help but fight the jealousy rushing over her.

x x x

"What happened in de session?" Gambit asked. He and Rogue were cuddling on his bed, and she still seemed a little out of it, or at least, not herself. He stroked her pale arm.

"Ah don't even remember it, honestly," responded Rogue with a tiny yawn. "Actually, Ah don't remember any of last night, or really, much of the nights before."

"Don' even 'member dat you been madder den a hornet at Gambit lately?"

She grinned at him. "How could Ah be mad at someone as cute as you?" Rogue asked, kissing his nose playfully. "Ah don't care now, so it must've been PMS." Her smile turned into a smirk, a seductive one that Remy had never seen, but did not entirely dislike. She ran a bare finger along his angular jaw. "Ah just remember that we never really got t' test out this wonderful collar of mahn."

Remy's eyes opened wide as she climbed on top of him and began to kiss him deeply. He pushed her away, earning a little whimper of protest from Rogue. "Take it slow, chere. Gambit wants dis probably more den you do, but I don' want to… you ain't actin' like yohself."

"Maybe because Ah ain't never had the chance t' act this way," she purred.

"But de trainin' session…"

"Ah feel fahn," she assured him and kissed him once again. He stopped fighting and responded passionately. She pulled away quickly, struggling out of her tank top. He stared up, amazed at her beautiful torso, now completely bare. The skin was warm and smooth as his calloused hands explored what was offered. She sighed, one of the most beautiful sounds Gambit ever heard.

"Ah want you, Remy LeBeau," she whispered in his ear huskily as she worked his tee shirt eagerly from his body.

He flipped her so that he was on top. She smiled shyly up at him as he replied, kissing her neck softly, "I want ya too, petite pomme. Je t'aime. Want nothin' moh den t' be wit you."

"It sounds so much better in French," she said with a laugh. This time, Carol did not offer unwanted advice, or even interrupt. It was completely quiet. She let herself be taken by the desire burning in her body. She loved this man. Something inside her told her that this might be the only night she could spend with him, but she ignored the thought. Rogue had to focus on the here and now, not stupid superstitions. "Tu is so informal, call me Anne, Anne Darkholme. An don' tell nobody mah real name."

"Annie," he breathed, capturing a fierce kiss from her lipstick stained mouth. "Gambit'll never share yoh name, but he gonna tell everybody 'bout you…"

x x x

"Jesus," Pietro complained, surfing through television channels in the living room. "You can here them going at it in here!"

Pyro grinned, playing with a lighter. "Nothing I like more than the sound of a woman moanin'. But, damn, Gambit's really encouragin' her, too. That sheila sure is a beast in bed. But I guess ya can't blame her, havin' been locked in a cage for so long."

"Ugh," Wanda snapped. "It's completely disgusting."

"You're just saying that because you're a lesbian," her brother remarked.

He found himself, chair included, flying into a wall so hard that the wood splintered beneath him. "Hey, you fucking psycho!" he bellowed. "Can't you take a joke? Or are you jealous some one is making Rogue happy?"

"Shut up, you blithering idiot!" she yelled as her hexing powers went haywire. Pyro and Colossus dove for cover as everything in the room seemed to be flying into walls. "I don't feel that way about any girl, lastly Rogue! And you should be one to talk, for the way you follow our father around like some little lapdog."

"What does this have to do with Dad?" he asked.

"Ugh! I'm going to my room!" she yelled, storming off. The floating objects all over the living room finally dropped. The three men wiped their brows with relief.

"What's gotten into her?" Piotr asked.

"Who knows?" Quicksilver replied. He rose from his chair. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning."

x x x

"What was that?" Magneto asked Pietro as he passed by on the way to his room.

He stopped and looked at his father. "Oh, Wanda just blew up, that's all."

"She is so out of control," he said testily. "That's why I'm glad I have you."

"Me?" he asked incredulously. Although Pietro was the "leader" of the gang, he always felt that it was a hoax, that Gambit or someone else was more of the shot-caller. Magneto had never paid enough attention to his son, except when he needed errands. Now he was saying this?

"You're a lot more powerful than you think," Magneto said. "Remember what you did to all those cars in Bayville? That's just a test of your true prowess. Powers that are in check, in your complete control, unlike your sister's."

Quicksilver mulled this over and was pleased with the thought. "Thanks, Father."

Magneto smiled.

x x x

Mwahahahaha Magneto may be the Master of Magnetism, but Mystique is the Master of Manipulation.


End file.
